


Being Meguca is Not Chill

by lalagirl16



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: M/M, be gay fight monsters look fabulous, its a retelling though so you dont need to have seen the show!, magical girl au, should be a fun time, specifically madoka magica au, tw: weapons, tw:bombs, tw:guns
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-24
Updated: 2019-02-25
Packaged: 2019-11-04 18:37:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 12
Words: 67,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17903417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lalagirl16/pseuds/lalagirl16
Summary: (Magical Girl AU) Jeremy Heere's life is changed forever when he and his best friend, Michael Mell, encounter a strange creature named Squip who asks them for their help fighting monsters. But the new transfer student, Rich, doesn't want them to become magical boys, saying that it's too dangerous. What is Rich planning? And why does Jeremy feel like he knows more than he's letting on?





	1. I Saw Him in a Dream...or Something

**Author's Note:**

> Heya everyone! If you clicked on this just to see what it is, this is a re-imagining of Puella Magi Madoka Magica, which is a magical girl anime. You don't need any knowledge of the franchise in order to read this though!
> 
> Anyway have fun and remember to check the tags

_Huff...huff...huff…_

He didn’t know where he was. He didn’t quite remember where he was going. But he knew he couldn’t stop running. The air was tense, like a finger twitching on a trigger. He kept running… down the hall… up the stairs. He couldn’t stop. Step after step after step…

He pushed open the door.

Smashed buildings, cars, streetlights, and other debris hung in the air, smoke rising up towards the cloud layer, making the sky a menacing cauldron, brewing hatred and destruction. The pieces smashed into each other, sending parts flying in every direction with deadly momentum. There was no color to be seen except the orange glow flickering over the grayscale ruins of the city. A large, burning form hung above it all, its laugh a distorted, thunderous sound. It was Armageddon. And in the midst of it, there was a boy.

He couldn’t see the boy very well from the roof he was perched on, but he appeared to be wearing a strange type of formal wear with orange accents. Certainly not something someone would wear normally. And this mysterious boy seemed to be fighting for his life. He was floating… somehow. He appeared to almost teleport, glitching in and out of existence like a ghost. The burning form launched a building at the boy who barely dodged, holding up a shield against the oncoming flames and grimacing. He looked exhausted. How long would he be able to keep it up?

“That’s horrible…” he breathed to no one in particular.

“It can’t be helped,” a new voice said. He turned to see a strange creature that resembled a white cat sitting on the ledge next to him. “It’s too much for one person to handle. He knew that and came here anyway.”

“Shit,” he breathed. He could hardly care about the strange creature. The world was falling apart and all he could do was watch helplessly.

“If he gives up, it’s over,” the creature added, nonchalantly. “This planet. All human life. Everything.” Then it turned to him. “But you have the power to change destiny. All this tragedy, all this destruction, you can change it, if you want. The power to do so lies within you.”

“Me?” he said. He just couldn’t understand. An explosion rang out behind him, and his ears began to ring. Ash filled the sky. If he didn’t do something… “Can I really fix this?”

“Of course you can,” the creature said. “Make a contract with me and become a magical boy.” He stepped forward and made a decision.

 

* * *

 

 

Jeremy opened his eyes to his familiar bedroom, squinting against the sunlight creeping in through his blinds. He hadn’t had a dream that weird in a long time. And certainly not any dream that was quite so vivid and seemed to carry so much weight. He rolled out of bed reluctantly and stretched, yawning as he headed down the stairs. There was no use worrying about it anymore.

“Good morning, Jeremy,” his dad said. He gave Jeremy a friendly pat on the back as he passed.

“Good morning, dad,” Jeremy said sleepily as he pushed past his father and reached for a box of stale cereal. “Is mom up yet?”

“She’s getting ready,” his dad responded. “You know her. She’s itching to get back to the office.” As if on cue, his mom sauntered into the kitchen, fully dressed, briefcase in hand.

“Good morn-” Jeremy started.

“I’m late,” she said, cutting him off. She headed for the door without stopping and slammed the door behind her. Jeremy’s dad sighed and sadly passed his son a lukewarm cup of coffee.

“So, what’s happening in your world?” he asked, ignoring the elephant in the room in compliance with their carefully constructed routine.

“Brooke got another love letter yesterday,” Jeremy said in between bites. “Jenna’s been at it again, theorizing who it could be from.”

“I’m sure you’ve gotten plenty of those too, son,” his dad said, winking. “You’re a lady killer. And gentleman killer.”

“Dad…” Jeremy said with a groan. “No way. I just don’t really stand out that much, so I don’t think I have any secret admirers.”

“Well, the secret to having confidence is to act like you already do. This year is about coming out of your shell, remember?” Jeremy did remember. He had resolved to make more friends and start speaking for himself more often at the start of the year, but it was still something he struggled with. He didn’t say anything, resigning himself to washing his empty bowl out in the sink.

“I’d better get to school,” he said.

 

* * *

 

 

It really was a gorgeous day, and Jeremy couldn’t help but beam when he saw his friends waiting for him outside his house. They had started walking to school together when Brooke and Christine got Fitbits, and they all had reluctantly agreed to adjust their commute accordingly.

“Hey, Jeremy!” Michael greeted him. He pulled his best friend into a hug, smiling brightly as he always did. Brooke, Jenna, and Christine all waved at him and gave him their greetings. Jeremy adjusted the shoulder straps of his backpack and then fell in line with the group as they made their way to school.

“Soooo?” Christine said leaning in towards Jeremy. “You doing the play or not? I gave you time to think about it.”

“I don’t know,” Jeremy sighed. “I’m not good with public speaking. Or speaking in general.”

“Jeremy, you do own other clothes besides that blue sweater, right?” Jenna said, poking his stomach.

“I like it,” Jeremy said. “It’s soft.”

“It _is_ a little last season, Jer,” Brooke said, joining in. “Sorry.”

“What brought on this hostility?” Jeremy asked, dramatically acting taken aback. “And _hello?_ … Michael has been wearing that red hoodie since freshman year.”

“That’s different. It’s his brand,” Christine said. Michael high-fived her.

“Maybe the sweater is _my_ brand,” Jeremy tried. “Sometimes I wish we just had uniforms so I wouldn’t have to worry about if my clothes make me look cool or not.”

“They don’t,” Michael commented with a smirk. “But that’s for the best. Keep the loser fashion. I’d never let you go and become popular with the ladies.”

“It’s not loser fashion!” Jeremy tried to protest.

“You’re mine! I’ll have to make you my loser husband forever!” Michael chased Jeremy around in circles, snickering, while Jeremy dodged Michael’s attempts to grab him by the waist.

“Guys,” Christine said, clearing her throat. Jeremy broke apart from Michael to see that they had arrived at school.

 

* * *

 

 

“Before we get started, I have something very important to discuss with you all,” Mr. Reyes said, pacing flamboyantly.

“Something important? In homeroom?” Michael mumbled incredulously. A smile tugged at Jeremy’s lips.

“Miss Rolan! Answer me! What is the correct way to cook eggs? Sunnyside up or down?”

Jenna dropped her phone on the desk in a panic, the clatter ricocheting around Jeremy’s head. “I….” She looked to Jeremy for help, but he could only shrug helplessly. “Either is fine?” she said.

“Exactly!” Mr. Reyes practically screeched. “Either is fine! Therefore, you all should take note that you should never complain to your partner about something so frivolous as the way they cook eggs!” Angry rant seemingly over, Reyes collapsed dramatically in his chair and popped a couple of pills, which appeared to be Xanax.

Jenna picked up her phone gingerly and started writing out a tweet. Jeremy’s phone buzzed seconds later, but he didn’t bother checking it. He’d hear the story retold dramatically on the walk home anyway.

“Well then,” Mr. Reyes continued. “Now that that’s out of the way, I’d like to introduce our new transfer student to you all.”

“Shouldn’t that have come first?” Michael whispered. Jeremy snorted loudly, earning him a glare from Mr. Reyes.

Jeremy didn’t have time to process the embarrassment, as time practically froze the moment the new student stepped into view. There was no way... he had to be hallucinating. He blinked, but the scene didn’t change.

He tried to ignore the wave of dread building in his stomach as he took in the red-streaked hair, haunted expression, and the unmistakable image of burn scars sketched across the right side of his body. There was no question -- it was the boy from his dream. Of course, there were a few differences. He wore a muscle tank and cargo shorts rather than the torn garments and flashy bowtie, and, thankfully, he wasn’t visibly bleeding… or teleporting. No, he was crazy. This was crazy.

As Jeremy scanned the boy up and down, his gaze settled on the boy’s face and his blood went cold. There were no words to describe the way he seemed to see straight into Jeremy as if there was no place deep enough inside him to bury his secrets. He clamped a trembling hand on the side of his desk and leaned over to Michael, “Is it just me or is he… glaring at me?”

Michael rolled his eyes. “Dude, I know he’s hot, but there’s nothing to panic about. You look like you’ve seen a ghost or some shit. Besides, if he’s checking anyone out, it’s me.” He flashed him a shit-eating grin.

“I hope you find everything okay here, Mr…” Mr. Reyes looked down at the piece of paper in his hand. “Richard Goranski.”

“Rich,” the boy corrected coldly. Then he sat down without another word. Mr. Reyes continued talking, asking the class if anyone would be willing to show Rich around. Jeremy could only sit and shiver, feeling as though those cloudy, hazel eyes were unpacking the contents of his soul and hanging them out for the world to see.

 

 

* * *

 

Jeremy felt as though he was suffocating throughout his first three periods, itching to tell his friends about his dream and the strange deja vu the new student gave him. Maybe if he told someone, he wouldn’t feel so insane. But to his dismay, Rich was sitting at the table adjacent to his usual one, surrounded by girls who were practically drooling over the new meat.

“That new kid is fucking weird,” Jenna said decisively, punctuating her sentence by slamming down her tray.

“Language,” Christine said. “What new kid? There’s a new kid?” Jenna smirked, happy as always to be in the know.

“Yeah, a guy. A junior like us. All the girls are throwing their panties at him. See?” Christine grimaced at the phrasing but turned her gaze to where Jenna was pointing regardless. Jeremy dared a glance over as well. Rich looked wholly uninterested in the small harem he’d collected. In fact, he seemed to be… looking right at Jeremy. He quickly looked down at his colorless food and tried to calm his beating heart.

“Hey Jeremy, do you know that guy?” Brooke asked, finally speaking up. “He looked like he was glaring at you this morning.”

“What’s up, sluts,” Michael greeted as he sat down and flopped his bag onto the ground. The group shushed him simultaneously, all eagerly awaiting Jeremy’s answer. Jeremy twiddled his thumbs, almost hoping the group would just move on and stop giving his anxiety-induced fever dreams any kind of credibility.

“I… well…”

“Jeremy Heere.”

Jeremy felt his blood pressure rise off the charts. Rich Goranski was standing by the lunch table, gaze fixed on him. Jeremy opened and closed his mouth. He couldn’t possibly form words while under the scrutiny of that cold, calculating stare.

“Walk with me.”

It was surely a request, but it was phrased like a command. Or a death sentence. Jeremy wasn’t quite sure why he found himself nodding, though it may have been from the raw terror eating its way through his nervous system.

“What do you need him for?” Michael piped up, clearly suspicious. Jeremy let out a small sigh of relief. Thank the stars for Michael. “We only rent Jeremy out on weekends.”

“I’m only trying to find the bathroom,” Rich said blankly. “Our homeroom teacher said I could talk to any of my classmates if I needed anything. Jeremy doesn’t mind.”

Christine came to his rescue next. “Jeremy, are you fine with that?” Christine asked, furrowing her brow.

“I…” He was torn. On one hand, there was no reason he shouldn’t help out a new classmate. It had to be all in his head, right? But he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was… off about Rich. Deep in the pit of his stomach, there was a nagging feeling that being alone with him was a bad idea.

Before he could make up his mind, Rich grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him from his seat, leaving his friends to look startled and slightly insulted as he was - literally - dragged away. Besides the forceful tugging, he did notice that Rich’s grasp was gentle on his arm. He would’ve expected someone who planned on murdering him in a janitor’s closet to dig their fingers in, maybe make a bruise… but he wasn’t. Maybe it shouldn’t have been, but in a way, it was comforting.

The halls were completely abandoned -- everyone was either at lunch or smoking behind the school. But surely if Rich was going to do something to him, he would have done it already.

“Uh… the bathroom is right-”

“Around the corner,” Rich finished. “I can read, tall-ass.” _Tall-ass?_ _I’m not even that tall._ Rich kept walking, right past the bathroom and further into the academic halls. Jeremy looked all around, but the hall was empty. There would be no witnesses. No one to drag Jeremy to the hospital if Rich was going to beat him up. His mind swam with half-baked plans of what to do, his big mouth liking one plan in particular, which was to talk to Rich and try to convince him not to commit first-degree murder.

“So, uh… Richard?”

“Rich.”

“Oh… right. Rich.”

“What is it,” Rich said bluntly.

“Uh, nothing!” Jeremy said, quickly backtracking. “I just uh...wanted to know how your first day is going. It’s kind of a weird time for transfers.”

“I was in the hospital,” Rich said.

“Oh,” Jeremy said, not really expecting an actual response. “Is that where your burns are from?” Rather than answering, Rich whirled around, stopping Jeremy dead in his tracks.

“Jeremy. Do you value your life as it is now? Your friends. Your family. Are they important to you?”

This was it. He was going to die right there. Any second now, Rich would pull out a knife or a gun and it would be over in a split second, with nobody around to hear him scream. His body would be ditched behind the school. Rich’s gaze didn’t falter. He was waiting for Jeremy’s response.

“Yeah, I guess,” he said, quivering. “But why-”

“Then don’t fuck it up by changing anything about yourself. Don’t be a dumbass,” Rich spat. “Don’t change a thing about yourself, or you’ll be sorry.” Without another word, he stalked back towards the bathroom and disappeared inside.

 

* * *

 

 

“He said WHAT?” Jenna screamed across the table. Jeremy nearly dropped his coffee, not expecting such a loud response. Everyone else gaped at him from their seats.

“He… told me not to be a dumbass if I valued my life,” Jeremy repeated, awkwardly twirling the spoon around his mug.

“Damn, I thought he was hot,” Michael grumbled and cast a sidelong glance at Jeremy. “But that’s a murder threat if I ever heard one. He’s a total psycho. Dodged a bullet there.”

“It was weird that he came up to you at lunch like that,” Brooke said thoughtfully. “Are you absolutely sure you’ve never met Rich before?”

Jeremy sighed. Should he even bother to tell them about the dream, or would that just make it worse? “Well… I guess the sensible answer would be ‘yes’ but…” Jenna snapped her fingers.

“You hooked up.”

“What? No!” Jeremy said. “I just… I saw him in a dream or… something last night. That sounds batshit. Does that sound batshit?”

“What kind of dream?” Michael asked with a smirk, wiggling his eyebrows.

He groaned and laid his face flat on the table. There really was no point in trying to explain himself. “Not _that_ kind of dream. He was fighting some… fire… demon… thing? It was crazy. Maybe I got a fever overnight and hallucinated the whole thing.”

“Mmhm,” Michael hummed, taking a sip of his coffee. “Batshit.”

“Actually, maybe it’s possible you _have_ met him before,” Christine said. “I heard about it in Psychology. The human brain is incapable of conjuring up faces, so everyone you dream about is someone you’ve seen before. Maybe he’s been in town for a bit and you just happened to get a glimpse.”

“Seriously?” Jenna deadpanned. “That’d be a pretty big coincidence. I’m sticking with my theory. Jeremy, I told you how to tell if a drink is roofied, right?”

“Guys!” Jeremy protested. “Take this seriously! This is really bugging me…”

“Yeah, and you clearly need to move on from your sex dream,” Michael said, patting him on the back. Jeremy rolled his eyes. “Besides, didn’t he say he came from the hospital? He’s probably straight out of the psych ward. I wouldn’t worry about him too much.” Jeremy sighed. The things his friends were saying made sense… so why didn’t they put his mind at ease?

“You still look hot and bothered,” Michael said. “Do you wanna head to the music store on the way home as a distraction? You can get something for your mom’s birthday.”

“Yeah, okay.” Maybe Michael was right. He just had to forget about the whole thing. It wouldn’t be that hard to avoid Rich in such a big high school.

 

* * *

 

 

Jeremy slipped the sampling headphones onto his ears and scanned the titles in front of him. _Nothing mom would like. What does she even like? Does she even like music? She has to… didn’t Dad say at one point that they’d met at a concert in college?_ It was hard to picture his mom, a force of perpetual motion in his life, never staying in one spot for long enough to get a good glimpse, actually taking the time to pause and enjoy herself. He selected a random track and closed his eyes, trying to get lost in the music and picture a happier family, in a different timeline.

“ _Help me…_ ”

Jeremy’s eyes flung open and he pulled the headphones off. “Michael, did you say something?”

“Huh?” Michael said, not taking off his headphones. “No…”

“ _Help me…_ ”

It was official. He had lost it. Jeremy tapped the side of his head fruitlessly, hoping he could possibly smack some sense into his brain.

“ _Help me…Jeremy…”_

It sounded so real and desperate. He almost didn’t care if someone was pranking him. Jeremy walked out of the store and into the general mall with urgency, following the voice as it kept calling to him.

It ended up leading him to an unfinished part of the mall with flickering lights and pieces of broken ceiling tile paving the concrete floor. Jeremy shivered, realizing suddenly that what he was doing was completely fucking insane. _What am I even expecting to find? How am I going to even help if there is real danger? Why didn’t I bring Michael?_ Not to mention the fact that there was a voice in his head in the first place.

Just as Jeremy had fully convinced himself to turn around and forget about it, there was a loud crash above him, and a small white animal fell through the ceiling. A heavy chain followed, punctuating Jeremy’s gasp of fright with a loud _clang._ The animal was bleeding and shaking. Jeremy knelt down next to it, and sighed in relief when he saw it breathing. Upon closer inspection… it looked like a strange cat with long ears and piercing red eyes.

“ _Help me…_ ”

Jeremy’s eyes widened. Was this the thing that was calling for help? Or had he just lost his fucking mind?

“Get away from it.” Jeremy turned his head and saw Rich there, dressed in the strange clothes he’d been wearing in the dream. He had on slim black slacks and a formal blazer with neat coattails and orange accents. Jeremy’s eye caught Rich’s left arm, which had a strange shield attached to it, and even stranger yet, he had an orange jewel in the shape of a diamond on the back of his left hand. In his grip, he held a heavy chain, stained with blood.

“Rich?” Jeremy squeaked.

“I said,” Rich repeated, stepping closer, “get away from that thing.”

“But he’s really hurt!” Jeremy protested, shaking. He leaned forward and picked up the creature, stroking it in an attempt to comfort it. “Why did you attack him? Are you insane?”

“This doesn’t concern you,” Rich said coldly, stepping forward.

“He was calling for help!” Jeremy said, now fully convinced he had done the right thing by coming. “He called me by name!”

“Oh, did he now?” Rich sneered, glaring at the fluffy bundle in Jeremy’s arms. Eyes ignited with a new fire, Rich reached out his arm, the strange shield that adorned it glowing with an unnatural light.

Jeremy shut his eyes and held the creature close as he prepared for… he didn’t even know what. Being murdered, probably.

“Surprise, bitch!” A loud yell came from behind Jeremy and before he had time to register what was happening, the entire area was covered in a dusty white fog.

“Michael?” Jeremy squinted against the powder clouding the air. Sure enough, there was Michael, standing like a civil war statue and triumphantly holding a fire extinguisher.

“What the fuck, man?” Rich growled at Michael, beginning to advance towards them. Without a moment of hesitation, Michael threw the spent extinguisher at Rich, hitting him square in the ribs and knocking him back with a loud clang.

Jeremy remained on the ground, still petting the trembling creature and processing what just happened. Michael locked a death grip on his arm and dragged him to his feet. “We have to GO!”

Without a second thought, he was running after Michael, tearing through the construction site with only half an idea of where he was going. _Follow Michael, follow Michael, follow Michael._ His gaze was locked on the bright red hoodie for dear life. Bright flashes and colors danced in the corners of his vision as they ran. How long had they been going in a straight line? Where was an exit? Jeremy’s foot caught on something and he fell with a yelp, landing on the cold concrete of the unfinished mall.

“Here, let me help… you…” Michael’s eyes were wide, though Jeremy could barely see them through the reflection of the lights on his glasses. He had begun to offer his hand to Jeremy, but was now frozen, looking more terrified than Jeremy had ever seen him before. _Wait, what the fuck?_

The mall had turned into a neon hellscape, full of changing, distorted images and otherworldly sounds.

“Michael?” Jeremy asked shakily. “Do you see anyone slip me something?” Maybe he should have taken Jenna’s advice about roofied drinks.

“No…” Michael said uneasily. “Wait… you’re seeing all that shit too?”

It was like they had stepped into another universe, just past the door of the Menlo Park Mall. Jeremy’s eyes darted around for an exit, but nothing looked familiar. Nothing looked safe.

“Jeremy!” Michael said, grabbing Jeremy’s arm and forcing him to his feet. Unnatural creatures were approaching in a series of jerky, unsettling movements, reaching out with razor-sharp scissors, closing in on all sides. They almost looked like walking dandelions, their eyeless faces made of the cottony fluff, but no matter how hard he looked he couldn’t focus on them. They didn’t look real, as if reality had melted away into an animated nightmare. His ears rang with the sounds of demonic chanting as the blades edged closer… and closer… Jeremy held onto Michael tightly, closing his eyes.

_BANG BANG BANG_

Jeremy was still too scared to look, shaking and clenching the fabric of his best friend’s sweatshirt tighter. Gunshots? What was going on?

“It’s okay. You’re safe now,” an unfamiliar voice said. After a second, Jeremy dared to look. The world around them was still an unorganized bright chaos, but the monsters were gone, and in their place, there was a tall boy with a bright, comforting smile and a shining gem in his hand.

“What. The. Fuck,” Michael said, still not letting go of Jeremy. “Who are you? What is all of this shit?”

“Thank you for saving Squip,” the boy said, completely ignoring Michael. He gestured to the creature in Jeremy’s arms. “He’s a dear friend of mine.”

“He called out to me,” Jeremy said. “In my _brain._ Like _X-Men._ ”

“Oh, I see,” the boy said, seemingly unbothered. “Do you guys go to Middle Borough?”

“Hey, hold on!” Michael protested suddenly, finally letting go of Jeremy. “Who the hell are you and what the everloving _fuck_ is going on?”

“Oh. Right,” the boy said with a small laugh. “I should probably explain myself…” There was another noise from behind them. Jeremy whirled around and to his horror, more strange creatures were advancing on them.

“Ahhh!” Michael yelped, grabbing Jeremy again.

“You guys mind if I take care of that little problem first?” the boy said with a grin. Without waiting for an answer, the boy stepped forward and was suddenly encased in an enchanting glow of yellow light. When the light died down, he was in completely different clothes. It reminded Jeremy of the strange outfit Rich was wearing, except the color scheme was mostly yellow. He wore a white button-up shirt with dark slacks and suspenders, and the look was completed with a yellow tie and golden-tipped cowboy boots. The most noticeable thing though was his cowboy hat, which had a bright yellow gem embedded in the center.

Jeremy gasped as the boy suddenly conjured seemingly hundreds of engraved pistols out of thin air, firing them all at once to the barrage of demon-like creatures. The bullets all hit with stunning accuracy, causing a giant explosion which wiped out all the approaching monsters. The boy smirked and landed back on the ground as the world gradually faded back to normal.

“Holy shit…” Michael breathed.

“Pretty cool, right?” the boy said, turning around with a smirk.

“Well… yee-haw,” Michael laughed nervously.

The boy rolled his eyes. “Yeah, you’re fucking welcome…”

“You always were a show-off, Dillinger.” The boy turned around, his gaze hardening. Rich had appeared suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere.

“The monster escaped,” the boy said. “If you want to finish it off, you should go after it now. I don’t mind if you take it this time.”

“No. I’m not finished here,” Rich said.

“You don’t get it, do you? I’m letting you off with a warning this time. Do you honestly think I’d be so kind if we didn’t have company?” Rich glared at the boy, but turned and walked away without another word.

“Dillinger?” Michael said suddenly. “As in Jake Dillinger?”

“Guilty as charged,” Jake shrugged, smiling. “You’ve heard of me?”

“My friend Dustin’s into sports, the weirdo. He’s always talking about you breaking records and shit. It’s so gay.”

“Right, well,” Jake said, stretching, “nice to meet you both. Can I see Squip?” Jeremy laid the cat thing (Squip, apparently) down on the ground and watched Jake approach it. Michael and Jeremy watched with wonder as Jake’s hands started glowing with that same golden light he’d used before, the energy healing the creature's wounds and allowing it to sit up and fully open its eyes.

“Thank you, Jake,” the creature said. It was the same voice Jeremy had heard in his head before. _God, this is the weirdest fucking day._

“Fluffy motherfucker can talk. What the fuck,” Michael said.

“Is _that_ what bothers you about all this?” Jeremy asked.

“My name is Squip. Thank you for saving me, Jeremy Heere. And you, Michael Mell.”

“Woah, hang on a sec,” Michael said. “How do you know our names? And I’m still waiting for someone to _please tell me what the fuck is going on._ ”

“I’m here because I have a favor to ask of you both,” Squip said, getting to its feet and approaching the two of them. “Make a contract with me… and become magical boys!”

 


	2. I Think I Have to Do It

“Good morning, mom,” Jeremy mumbled out half-heartedly as his mother stormed through the kitchen, knowing it really didn’t make a difference. 

“Where are my shoes?” she growled, leaving the room in a blind rage. Jeremy sighed and pulled out his phone to text Michael. 

“Back porch,” he called. His mother returned, shoes in hand, looking somehow angrier than she had before finding them. 

“I’m late,” she said, shoving past him and out the door. Jeremy looked at the clock. She would be an hour early at her current pace.  _ Whatever. Like I care. _

“You were out pretty late last night, weren’t you, private?” Jeremy sighed, knowing he might be in the doghouse if he didn’t choose his words carefully. He almost wouldn’t mind being grounded if it meant that his dad was taking some charge when it came to parenting. 

“I went to a classmate’s house,” he said, swishing around the now-cold coffee in the bottom of his mug. “Michael went with me.”

“I don’t want to have to start enforcing curfews and all that,” his dad started.  _ Please do. Please parent me for once in your life.  _ “But I trust your judgment. Just make sure to let me know beforehand next time. I was worried when you weren’t home by dinner.”

“I’m sure mom didn’t notice,” Jeremy snapped bitterly.

“She really does try, son,” his dad said. Jeremy sighed, his mind wandering back to the crazy events of the previous night. A half-formed thought edged into his brain, and before he could stop himself, he spoke up.

“Hey, dad… if you could wish for anything in the world, what would you wish for?”

“Huh? Where’s this coming from?”

“I’m just… wondering is all.”

His dad sipped his coffee thoughtfully, considering the question. 

“It’s hard to say, really,” he said finally. “But I guess I’d wish that your mom didn’t have to go into the office so much. It’s like her vice, you know? Some people turn to drugs or alcohol, even gambling… I guess we got lucky there, but I feel like she missed your entire childhood, and before we know it, you’ll be leaving the nest.”

“That’s… really sweet, Dad,” Jeremy said in surprise. He felt stupid now for thinking his dad would say reversing his balding. 

“Though I think I’d prefer to help your mom work through her problem herself, miracles be damned,” his father said. “It’d probably improve things for all of us. You can’t force things like that. And I’ve been trying to get her into a marriage counselor…” His dad looked at the clock on the wall thoughtfully. 

“Yeah… maybe if we start there, we can work up to it. Help her realize the root of the problem.” His dad stood up, mumbling about making some calls. 

“Your dad is really the one who tries, it seems,” Squip said from where it was sitting on the kitchen table. 

“It’s so freaky that he can’t see you,” Jeremy said to it. “And you scared the shit out of me this morning.”

Though, he supposed the magical talking cat creature was not the strangest thing about yesterday. Not even close.

 

* * *

 

Jake’s apartment was small, but there seemed to be a warmth about it that opened the room up as they stepped inside. The shelves were lined with all sorts of knickknacks and the homely decor gave the whole place a cozy feel. It seemed like something that shouldn’t have been put together by a lone teenage boy, and yet...

“Make yourselves at home, bros” Jake said, tossing his backpack onto the ground and heading into the kitchen. “I’m making tea.”

Jeremy shrugged at Michael. It was kind of weird to be in Jake’s apartment after literally just meeting him, but he had saved their lives and could undeniably kick either of their asses, so they decided they ought to just go along with what he said. The weird cat thing, Squip, was lounging on the coffee table, not saying much of anything as he examined his paws.

“Right, so!” Jake said, excessively chipper for someone who had just taken demons head on with guns less than an hour ago. “Since Squip chose you guys, you’re kinda mixed up in all this shit now, so I’d better lay some things out for you. That cool?” Jeremy nodded mutely, taking the tea. Michael just shrugged. Jake handed him the other cup of tea and sat down opposite them. After a second, he produced a shining yellow gem, the same one he had been holding when he first approached them in the mall.

“What’s that?” Jeremy asked with a dumbfounded expression.

“It’s called a Soul Gem,” Jake explained. “It’s the source of every magical boy or girl’s power. And it looks pretty dope, right?” Michael rolled his eyes. 

“Soul Gems are created when you form a contract with me,” Squip added.

“Contract?” Michael asked, raising an eyebrow. “You got a lawyer, cat?”

Squip let out a little giggle, a tiny sound that reminded Jeremy of a slinky climbing down the stairs. “It’s not like a contract you would be familiar with,” Squip explained. “I will grant you one wish… any wish you desire. And in exchange, your soul gem is created, and it will be your duty to fight monsters.”

“Monsters? Like those plant things from the mall?” Jeremy asked.

“Not exactly, bro. Those were just part of the labyrinth. It’s kind of like the monster’s man cave. You gotta go through it before you reach the actual thing,” Jake clarified.

“Where do those things come from? And why have I never heard of them before?”

“Well, chances are you have. Their effects just manifest in other ways. Unexplained suicide, mass murder, even natural disasters… most of them can be chalked up to monsters.” It sounded like it should’ve been a joke, but Jake’s expression was stone cold. For the thousandth time that day, Jeremy found himself wondering how any of this could really be happening.

“And you fight those fuckers?” Michael said. “All the time?”

“Pretty much,” Jake said with a shrug. “I’m kind of a veteran at this point. But you two should take it seriously. Maybe it’s hard to tell at first, but these monsters can be really dangerous. Whenever I fight those things, I risk my life to protect the people in this city. So before you go wishing for money or a perfect girlfriend…” Jake took another glance at Michael. “.... _ boyfriend _ , make sure to give it some thought.” Jake finished his tea and set it down quietly. “Death may very well be part of the deal.”

“Well, shit,” Michael said after a minute of tense silence. “I won’t be sleeping tonight.”

“I know it’s a tough decision, dudes,” Jake said with a small smile. “But you guys are my bros now. You can tag along when I go monster hunting tomorrow. Maybe seeing it up close can help lean you one way or the other.”

Jeremy swallowed. He could wish… for anything? Was all of this really possible? He sighed, putting his head in his hands. 

“Holy shit, it’s late,” Michael said suddenly. “I have to get home or my moms will kill me before a monster can.” Jake glared at Michael. “A joke…” Michael said, putting his hands up in defense.

“I’d better go too,” Jeremy said, standing up nervously. “But, uh… I’d like that. To see you in action tomorrow.” 

“Yeah, you would…” Michael whispered. Thankfully, Jake was blissfully unaware as Jeremy’s face turned bright red.

“Okay! We’re leaving now!” Jeremy practically screeched. 

“I’ll come with you,” Squip said, leaping off the table and onto the ground. “Just in case you make your decision.” 

“I’ll miss you, lil’ bro,” Jake said with a smile, petting Squip as he passed. “Michael, am I gonna see you tomorrow too?”

“Eh, what the hell,” Michael said off-handedly. “It’s not like I’ll have anything better to do.”

 

* * *

 

Jeremy ran out the door to meet his friends, the normalcy of the whole thing making his head turn in contrast to the outright insanity of the night before. If it weren’t for Squip’s quiet but solid presence perched on his shoulder, he wouldn’t even believe it had happened.

“Good morn-what. The fuck.” Michael greeted, eyes growing wide when he noticed Squip on Jeremy’s shoulder.

“What’s wrong, Mike?” Christine asked, looking confused. Michael walked right up to Jeremy, staring intently at Squip. He took off his glasses and rubbed them, then replaced them, squinting.

“Either my high  _ still _ hasn’t worn off, or this is really batshit,” Michael mumbled.

_ No kidding,  _ Jeremy thought to himself. 

_ WHAT THE FUCK?  _

Jeremy jumped in surprise.

_ … Michael? _

_ Jeremy, get out of my brain that’s an invasion of my privacy and honestly I don’t think you’re prepared for some of the shit up here. _

_ This is EXACTLY like X-Men. _

_ Wow. You’re just as much of a nerd in your head as you are out here. That’s impressive. _

He glared at Michael.  _ And YOU’RE still making fun of me, even in my head? _

“Uh, guys?” Christine called, stepping carefully towards them.

“You guys realize what this is, right?” Jenna said, smirking. “They’ve learned to communicate using just their faces. And there’s only one thing I can think of that would have given them  _ that  _ close of a connection in one night.”

“What?” Christine said, cocking her head and looking confused.

“You guys interested in telling us where you went last night?” Jenna drew in close, jabbing a finger in each of their faces accusingly. Jeremy bit his lip and didn’t respond. “That’s what I thought. I knew it was just a matter of time befo-”

Michael choked on a breath, “We were NOT fucking!”

_ Okay, but actually… how the hell is this happening? Jeremy, did you make a contract with that thing already? Can I share some of your infinite supply of Doritos that you probably wished for? _

_ Actually, the telepathy is my doing,  _ Squip said.  _ I’m connecting your thoughts for convenience. Just one of the many services I provide. _

“I’m pretty sure we just got lit as fuck and connected that way,” Michael said, narrowing his eyes at Jenna and shrugging. “Seeing crazy shit brings bros together.”

“Yep, love is one hell of a drug,” Brooke giggled as she caught up with them.

“Well, I would be lying if I said I didn’t suspect as much,” Christine laughed, letting herself in on the joke. “Were you at least safe about it?”

“You guys are the worst,” Jeremy grumbled, walking faster.

“It’s 2019!” Jenna called, practically cackling. “Boys can love boys! It’s nothing to be ashamed of!”

 

* * *

 

Squip stayed with Jeremy throughout the day, mostly just sitting there silently. But Jeremy felt like he was almost staring him down. He was relieved to see Michael in chemistry later that day, but equally dismayed to see Rich sitting two desks in front of them, giving them the side eye.

_ Is it really a good idea to bring Squip to class?  _ Michael thought.  _ Transfer student looks ready to cut a bitch. _

_ Actually, I’m safer here in school,  _ Squip said.  _ Rich is too smart to try anything here with so many witnesses.  _ That was not reassuring to Jeremy in the least.

_ I’m here too,  _ Jake’s voice suddenly said.  _ Just in case. I’m only one hall over. _

_ Well yippee-ki-yay, partner!  _ Michael thought. Jeremy saw him smirk a little bit across the classroom.

_ Don’t patronize me. _

_ What’s Rich’s deal anyway?  _ Jeremy found himself asking.  _ He’s a magical boy like you… so doesn’t that mean he’s a good guy?  _

_ Some good guy,  _ Michael thought back.  _ He tried to attack you with a fucking chain!  _

_ Not all magical boys are chill, I’m afraid,  _ Jake said.  _ Some, like Rich, are mostly in it for the rewards you can get from killing monsters. I think he was just trying to stop you guys from making contracts. _

_ But why?  _ Jeremy asked.  _ More magical boys means more firepower against the enemy, right? _

_ It’s not that simple,  _ Jake sighed.  _ Some magical boys get selfish. It’s more common for them to fight each other for the rewards monsters drop. You’ll see what I mean after school. Now if you fellas don’t mind, I have an education to get to. _

_ Happy trails,  _ Michael said, letting out a small snort that carried across the room. Jake didn’t respond, but Jeremy could practically feel the eyeroll.

_ Don’t worry, buddy,  _ Michael said.  _ If that asshole tries anything with you again, I’ll kick that muscular midget to the fucking moon.  _ Michael looked over at Jeremy and smiled softly.

_ I wouldn’t suggest that without making a contract first, _ Squip cut in. Jeremy could feel his eyes burning into his back. Jeremy grinned to himself and began sketching, ignoring the drone of the teacher in the background. He couldn’t wait for school to get out.

 

 

* * *

 

Michael and Jeremy sat behind the school, staring at the sky and waiting for Jake to get out of whatever club was keeping him. He wondered how he was able to do clubs at all. Last night he’d made it sound like all he did outside of school was fight monsters…

“So… are you gonna do it?” Michael glanced at him for a second but trained his gaze back on the ground.

“I…” Jeremy hesitated. He didn’t want to make it sound like he was all in before even shadowing Jake, but he really loved the idea of being able to help people… and being able to be so cool. “I don’t even know what I’d wish for.”

“Yeah, me neither,” Michael said. “I’m overall pretty happy with my life, you know? It almost feels fucked that  _ we’re  _ the ones being offered miracles. There’s kids starving in Africa and all that. I’d feel like a dick asking for something small.”

“That’s odd,” Squip commented. “Most boys and girls I offer the contract to accept right away.”

“Guess there’s something wrong with us then,” Michael chuckled. 

“Maybe, but at least you’re smarter than most of the dumbasses I’ve met.”

Jeremy gasped and whirled around to see Rich standing behind them, crossing his arms, brow furrowed. 

“Oh, I see,” Michael sneered, whirling around dramatically on his heels. “You want a piece of this, shortstack?”

“No,” Rich said, never breaking his stare. “I’m not here to fight. I wanted to kill it before it made contact with either of you. It’s too late for that now.” Rich stepped closer and shifted his gaze from Michael to Jeremy.  “Are you going to become a magical boy?” he growled.

“I… uh…”

“And so what if he does?” Michael cut in. “I don’t believe that’s any of your business. Didn’t your mommy ever tell you to share with the other kids?”

“I gave you a warning. You ought to listen to it,” Rich said. With that, he turned around and started to leave, backpack slung across his shoulder carelessly.

“Wait, Rich!” Jeremy called after him. “What did you wish for? When you made your contract?” Rich stopped dead in his tracks, entirely frozen. For a moment, Jeremy thought he might say something or turn around, but after a few tense seconds of silence, Rich kept walking, not turning back until he’d disappeared from sight.

“There you two are!” Brooke appeared suddenly behind them, shaking her head and smiling. “You hiding from us or something? We’re gonna go get coffee.”

“Not today, sorry,” Michael said. “We’ve got plans.”

“Oh,” Brooke said, winking. “Say no more. Picked my favorite spot, I see.”

“No no!” Jeremy stammered. “There’s this guy Jake and we’re gonna-”

“Wow, you guys are moving fast! Already going for a threeso-” Michael shushed Brooke by covering her mouth with his hand. He poked at her stomach, making her giggle.

“We’ll see you tomorrow, Brooke. Virginity intact. Probably.”

“What the  _ fuck, _ man,” Jeremy protested.

“Well, bye... I guess,” Brooke said, shrugging. “But if wild rumors start spreading, you have no one to blame but yourselves.” Michael laughed and practically tackled her, tickling her as she squirmed against the wall. 

“Am I interrupting something?” Jake asked as he appeared from around the corner. Michael quickly stepped away from Brooke.

“No! Nooooo. Me gay.”

_ Real subtle there, Mike. _

“So… shall we?” Jake asked, scratching the back of his head casually. 

“Have fun!” Brooke called as she sprinted away.

“What was that about?” Jake asked, looking confused. Jeremy suppressed a giggle as he saw Michael turn bright red and disappear into his hoodie.

 

* * *

 

“We’ve been walking forever,” Michael sighed. “I’m gonna pass out. This is it for me.”

“Would you stop complaining if we stopped for coffee here?” Jake asked, pointing at a little cafe on the side of the road. 

“I sure would!” Michael said.

Jake sighed as they veered off-course and into a small homey-looking coffee shop called “How’ve You Bean”. It was a cozy little coffee shop...that was overrun with hipsters. It smelled like avocados and weed. Jake treated them all to coffee and they sat down in a booth to rest their feet.

“So, as I’m sure you’ve noticed, hunting monsters involves a lot of walking,” Jake said.

“No shit,” Michael said, rubbing his foot. “Screw the whole fighting for my life thing… is there really something I want so badly I’d walk this much for it? And I’ve been carrying this fucking bat so long I think my arms are going to fall off.”

“Drama queen,” Jeremy said with a smirk. 

“You really didn’t need to bring a bat,” Jake said, laughing. “But I love the enthusiasm, bro. And rest assured that magical boys have superhuman endurance. Your feet will be fine.”

“Sick,” Michael said. “Jeremy, do you realize what this means? I could be gay  _ and  _ do sports.”

“Michael, you hate sports.”

“I know. But I  _ could.” _

“You two ought to take this seriously,” Squip cut in. “Jeremy, did you bring anything with you?”

“Uh…” Jeremy found himself panicking. He didn’t know he was supposed to bring something. He suddenly felt like he had showed up to a potluck empty-handed. Thinking quickly, he pulled out his math notebook and shoved it over towards where Michael and Jake were sitting.

“I uh… drew this?” he said. He slid his notebook across the table. It was filled with sketches of a soft blue outfit, each with slight variations. He circled one in the corner, “I liked this one the best.” A stick figure strolled along the bottom of the page, wearing bright white slacks and converse that came halfway up to his knees. He wore a blue vest with long, puffy coattails, almost like rabbit ears trailing behind him. His favorite accents were the bows, one loosely tied around his neck and another trailing just above the small of his back.

“Really, dude? Fingerless gloves? I thought your emo phase ended in 2012,” Michael stared at him, deadpan. 

Jeremy felt his face heating up “I-I figured I should start thinking of some outfits. The uhh… cowboy aesthetic doesn’t really fit me I think.” He giggled anxiously and scratched the back of his neck. 

Jake grimaced but ignored his comment. “These… are good. You don’t exactly… Never mind. It really doesn’t matter, I’m strong enough to protect you two while you watch, and I’m sure Squip will step in if things get too dicey, right?” 

Squip nodded, ears flopping up and down with the motion.

“Ready to go?” Jake asked. Michael gave a long, exasperated sigh and shot Jake a look, but didn’t comment. Jeremy stood up too, face still flushed with embarrassment. He was about to see what fighting monsters was really like. He was scared… but also strangely excited. Jake had looked so powerful and important when he was fighting yesterday… Jeremy knew he wanted to be like that too. If only he could make up his mind.

 

* * *

 

“I’m tracking the magic residue of the monster we saw yesterday.” Jeremy watched in awe as Jake’s soul gem began to pulse with light that grew steadily faster as they kept walking along the sidewalk, heading further downtown. It reminded him of a metal detector. “It’s going to be harder to track since it’s a day old,” Jake continued. “But it looks like there’s enough here to give us a path.”

“If you’d gone after it yesterday, would you have been able to finish it off?” Jeremy asked. 

“Yeah,” Jake said. “But I couldn’t just leave you guys hanging after that. I’m glad I was able to get you both out of there safely and explain things to you.”

“Damnit, how are you so perfect?” Michael said. “That was really cool of you. How are you popular, good-looking, and also a genuinely nice person? Unlike that transfer student…”

“Do you really think he’s a bad person?” Jeremy asked softly.

“That psycho had a chain. He’s either really evil or really kinky.” 

“Oh fuck.” Jake held out a hand, stopping Michael and Jeremy in their tracks. 

They stood at the base of a parking deck. Jeremy followed Jake’s gaze up to the top and he felt his heart stop for a split second. On the roof of the structure, there was a woman teetering on the edge, one foot dangling precariously over their heads with the other just barely balanced on the ground.

“Oh shit, she’s gonna-” Before Michael could finish, she toppled over and came plunging down towards them.

Jake sprang into action, his transformation casting a bright flash across the lot that reminded Jeremy of lightning. He came back down to his feet and reached out a hand, summoning golden ropes out of thin air and forming a net; they caught the woman and gently lowered her down to the ground. The three of them stepped up to her cautiously. Jake leaned down and carefully turned the unconscious woman’s head to check a strange dark mark on her neck.

“A monster’s kiss,” Jake mumbled. “It’s here.” He stood back up and walked over to the wall of the complex. He waved his hand, and a pool of darkness opened up on the wall. Jake stepped inside, beckoning them after him. Michael looked back at Jeremy nervously, offering him his hand for comfort. Jeremy took it, holding his breath as he stepped him after Jake.

They ran through the labyrinth, passing strange figures that looked like butterflies with human eyes. Whenever one got close, Jake conjured a gun and killed it with ease. 

“On your left!” Jake yelled. Jeremy yelped as Michael swung his bat at one of the butterfly demons, knocking it back until it hit the wall and dissipated.  

“Holy shit!” Michael yelled, beaming. “I got it!”

“Nice one, newbie!” Jake said, winking. They kept running, the environment around them shifting and flashing, growing constantly weirder. 

_ I’m scared… but…  _

“Wait,” Jake said, holding out his arm. Michael and Jeremy stopped and peered over Jake’s shoulder. The dandelion creatures that had attacked them yesterday were there, approaching Jake with sharp blades bared. Jake summoned a line of guns quickly with a wave of his arms and fired them simultaneously, taking them out with ease. 

“Come on! We’re almost at the center of the labyrinth now!” Jake said. But they hardly had to move at all. The labyrinth seemed to come to them, doors zooming towards them and opening at rapid speeds. Jeremy’s eyes widened and his throat closed up when he saw it. There was a disgusting mass sitting in the middle of a large room. It was green, covered in flowers and spikes, and seemed to be glitching in and out of existence like tv static. It had large, deformed butterfly wings on its back, and the noises it made sounded like distant, distorted screams. Jeremy shivered and stepped back.

“There. That’s a monster,” Jake said. “Stay back.”

“You’re gonna fight that thing?” Jeremy asked, voice quivering. The minions from the entrance of the labyrinth were nothing compared to the monster towering over them. There was no way Jake could handle that by himself.

“It’s okay,” Jake said with a smile. He snapped and ropes appeared out of nothing, forming a barrier that would separate Michael and Jeremy from the thick of the fight. “I won’t lose.”

Jake jumped down from the ledge they were perched on and stepped on a tiny butterfly with his cowboy boot to get the monster’s attention. It let out a loud growl, an awful noise that grated in Jeremy’s ears, and turned to face Jake, baring its weapons. He snapped his suspenders, and guns appeared in stiff lines like wooden soldiers on either side of his body. He grabbed them and deftly pulled the triggers, hitting the monster near its heart and agitating it further. Jake took off his hat and dragged it across his body, making a show of it, summoning another row of guns. He picked them up one by one, deflecting small projectiles and demon butterflies. The monster hadn’t even scathed him yet.

“Damn…” Michael said.

Suddenly, a vine inched up from behind the monster and grabbed Jake by the legs, dangling him upside down. Jeremy saw Jake’s face flash in panic for a second before he recovered, summoning two guns which he fired at the monster. But the vine was throwing Jake around like a rag doll, and he missed every shot. 

“Jake!” Jeremy cried. 

“I’m okay!” Jake hollered back. “As if I’d let myself look so lame in front of my apprentices.”

He swiftly pulled off his yellow tie and threw it. It seemed to follow Jake’s every whim, just as his ropes and guns did, as it flew through the air and wrapped itself tightly around the vine until it released Jake. He did a flip and landed on his feet, instantly summoning a gun that expanded out into a large canon. 

“It’s over for you!” Jake said. “Final...Shot!”

“Did he fucking name his attack?” Michael stared over at Jeremy, eyes wide.

“You can’t tell me you wouldn’t,” Jeremy shot back.

“Fair enough.”

Jake fired the canon and the shot rang out through the air. It punched a hole right through the heart of the monster, which let out a scream that sounded almost human before wavering and fading out of existence.

Jake turned on his heels and looked up at Michael and Jeremy, winking. 

“How’s that for a show?”

“That was awesome!” Jeremy said, clutching Squip close to his chest. “You’re amazing, Jake…” The labyrinth faded after a second, leaving the three of them standing in an empty parking garage. Jake leaned down and picked up a small object on the ground, holding it out for Jeremy and Michael to see. 

“This is a grief seed. It’s a monster egg,” Jake explained. It looked unassuming enough… just a strange little black gem. To think something so horrible hatched out of it… “Most of the time when you  kill a monster, it’ll drop one.” 

“A monster egg?” Michael said, backing up a bit.

“Don’t worry, it’s perfectly safe like this. It’s actually pretty useful if you know how to use it. Check it.” Jake produced his soul gem in the palm of his hand. “See my soul gem? It’s a bit cloudier and dimmer than it was yesterday. But if I just use this grief seed here…” Jake tapped the grief seed against his soul gem, and the darkness in the yellow gem seemed to seep right out, into the black void of the grief seed. The gem shone brighter than Jeremy had ever seen it.

“Freaky,” Michael said. 

“All the magic I used fighting the monster has been restored,” Jake added. “This is what I meant earlier when I talked about rewards.” Without warning, he tossed it back over his shoulder. “Some people need them more than others, even if they don’t earn them. That should be good for one more use.”

Jeremy looked up in his confusion and saw Rich materialize from the shadows, grief seed in hand. He was transformed but didn’t have any weapons in his hands. Was he there to fight? 

“It was your kill,” Rich said blankly. “I don’t take handouts.” He dropped it to the ground with a hollow clatter and kicked it across the ground back to Jake.

“Fine,” Jake said. He leaned down to pick up the grief seed and glared into the darkness at Rich. “Then get out of here.” But Rich was already gone.

“What an asshole,” Michael said. “God, he pisses me off.”

“I think that’s enough for today,” Jake said, dropping his transformation and stretching until his arms popped. “I’ll walk you guys home.”

 

* * *

 

Jeremy laid in bed, staring at the ceiling and trying to ignore Squip’s breathing from across the room. It seemed almost impossible to decide on something to wish for. He’d never really been that good at decisions, even if it was something as small as choosing a video game. But just watching Jake work hard to protect the city… Jeremy finally had a chance to be important. If he became a magical boy, he’d be someone that mattered. He could be as amazing as Jake. When Jeremy drifted off, he had a small smile on his face.  _ Yeah,  _ he thought.  _ I think I have to do it. _


	3. This Won't Take Long

The door slammed across the house as Jeremy sat up in bed. It seemed like his mom was leaving earlier and earlier for work. He rolled over and buried his face into his pillow. _Does she really want to get away from me that badly?_

“It’s hard to say why she does it,” Squip said, hopping onto the bed. “But if you are seeking self-improvement, you could always wish to be smarter or more athletic.”

“I dunno,” Jeremy said into his pillow. “She’s not around enough to even notice a change like that.” He sat up reluctantly and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. Squip looked up at him, unblinking. “If I was gonna change something about myself, it’d be for me,” Jeremy said. “Not for her.”

“Jeremy? Are you up?” his dad called.

 

* * *

 

“So yesterday was pretty badass, right?” Michael said as they trailed behind the girls, who were absorbed in their own conversation.

“Yeah,” Jeremy sighed. “Jake is so cool…”

“Um, hello? I took out a demon butterfly with a baseball bat! _That_ was badass,” Michael said. “Are we gonna ditch during lunch today? It’s been forever since we’ve driven to 7/11 for sushi.”

“I… not today,” Jeremy said. He still felt like there was a lonely cloud hanging above his head. What should have been a passing invasive thought had consumed every inch of his brain. _Would Mom love me if I wasn’t so terrible?_

“Why not?”

“My mom…” he started, running his hands through his hair. “I feel like she doesn’t even care. It’s kind of giving me dirt brain. I just kinda realized… the problem has always been _me_.”

“Bullshit.” Michael actually stopped walking and grabbed Jeremy’s arm. “That’s bullshit, Jeremy. You’re perfect, okay? I make fun of you a lot, but I don’t mean it. It’s not your fault that your mom sucks. It never was. Never will be. Now stop talking shit about my best friend.”

“Michael…”

“Okay?”

“Yeah,” Jeremy said, grabbing the ends of his sweater. He’d never seen Michael look so intense before. “Not my fault.”

“Good,” Michael said softly, finally releasing Jeremy’s arm. “You shouldn’t ever have to feel inadequate. There’s people out there who love you. If she isn’t one of them, then fuck her.”

“You guys okay?” Christine asked. She’d noticed that they had stopped and was looking back at them with concern in her eyes.

“Yeah. Definitely.”

As they walked, Jeremy still felt sick to his stomach despite everything. He just had to stick it out until he could talk to Jake about it.

 

* * *

 

 

“Final… Shot!” Jake yelled. The monster, which looked like a dark tornado, shrieked and disappeared. The labyrinth faded away and Michael and Jeremy emerged from their hiding places. Jake jumped down from where he was perched on top of a street lamp and dropped his transformation.

“That was amazing,” Jeremy said, grinning.

“This isn’t a magic show, you know,” Jake said, looking serious. “This is really dangerous shit. Don’t forget that.”

“Roger that,” Michael said, mock saluting.

“Where’s the grief seed?” Jeremy asked, scanning the ground.

“That actually wasn’t a monster,” Jake explained. “It was a familiar, which is like a weaker monster. They don’t have grief seeds.”

“So all that work and you don’t even get anything?” Michael asked. “Damn. That sucks.”

“Well, they have to be dealt with,” Jake said with a sad smile. “They’re still dangerous. And if familiars kill enough people… they turn into monsters. So gotta keep them in check as well, even if it means using more magic.”

Michael checked the time on his phone and grimaced. “It’s getting late.”

“Yeah,” Jake said. “You guys better get home. I’ll walk with you. By the way… have either of you decided what to wish for yet?”

“Nope,” Michael said. “What about you, Jer?” Jeremy shook his head.

“It’s a lot of pressure, I guess,” he said. “What did you wish for, Jake? If you don’t mind me asking…Did you wish to be popular and athletic?” Jake’s expression was unreadable. For a second, Jeremy was sure he’d overstepped his boundaries.

“In my case…” Jake said. “I wasn’t lucky enough to take time to think about it. There was a fire… I was asleep when it started, but when I woke up… it was everywhere. There was no way out and it was closing in, getting harder to breathe or even see through all the smoke… Squip just appeared in the windowsill and I didn’t think twice.” Jake stopped walking and clenched his fists.

“Jake…”

“I didn’t even realize that it was already too late for my parents. I got outside and… if I had known I could have used my wish and…” His breath seemed to catch for a minute, but he swallowed and covered it with a sad smile. “I’m just glad that I get to use my second chance for good, you know? I couldn’t save them… but I can save other people. That’s why I take this so seriously. And it’s why you two should think long and hard about this decision.”

“Hey… Jake?” Michael asked after a minute. “So, hypothetically… and this is just hypothetically… could you use a wish for someone else?”

“Michael, don’t bring Bob Marley back to life,” Jeremy said, in an attempt to lighten the mood.

“I said _hypothetically,_ ” Michael shot back. “But I mean it. If someone I knew was worse off than I am… could I use my wish to help them out?”

Jake stared at him earnestly. “In theory, yes, you could. But… that can get messy. They won’t always appreciate, or even realize, the sacrifice you made for them. I’ve seen it ruin friendships and even lives. My suggestion is to… not do that. When you make a contract, you’re committing to helping people for as long as you live, so it’s best that you get something out of it too.” Michael let out a little sigh. “But to answer your question: yes, if you’re certain that’s what you want, then it’s possible.”

“Right…” Michael said. “Just spitballing here. It’s a hard decision.”

“As far as I’m concerned, the sooner you make your wish, the better,” Squip piped up.

“Don’t be so pushy, lil’ bro,” Jake said with a soft laugh. “You’ll scare them off with that attitude.”

 

* * *

 

“I just can’t decide,” Jeremy sighed, flopping down on his bed and kicking off his shoes. “I thought talking to Jake would help, but it didn’t.” He groaned and threw his hands up toward the ceiling dramatically. Squip jumped up onto Jeremy’s desk and leaned his face down to look at Jeremy, red eyes seeming to pierce tiny holes in his soul.

“Even if I wanted to, I can’t rush you,” he said. “It’s against the rules.”

“Rules?” Jeremy repeated incredulously. Squip didn’t elaborate. “Honestly… would just wishing to be a magical boy be stupid?”

“Is it power that you’re after, Jeremy Heere?” Squip asked, cocking his head.

“No, that’s not it,” Jeremy said. “Well… maybe it is. But it’s just… well. I’m not very smart. I’m a solid B student at best. And I’m not in any sports or clubs. I’m usually too anxious to even go up and talk to people. I don’t have any kind of skills or anything. But… if I could just do this, then my life would feel like there was… something to it. Like I was here for a reason instead of just… here, surviving. If I could be cool and powerful like Jake…”

“Oh, you’d be far more powerful than Jake is,” Squip cut in.

“Huh?”

“It’s true! Though, it’s also dependent on the kind of wish you make. But I’ve never met another human with as much magical potential as you, Jeremy Heere.”

“...me? Seriously?” Jeremy deadpanned. “You’re kidding, right?”

“No,” Squip said. “I am incapable of ‘kidding’ you.”

“Jeremy!” his dad called from downstairs suddenly. “Call an ambulance!” Jeremy felt his blood go cold. He jumped up and ran down the stairs to see his father standing above his mother, who was passed out on the ground. Breaths heavy in his ears, Jeremy dialed 911.

 

* * *

 

Jake walked through the dark, making his way back to where his empty apartment was. When he saw Rich appear out of nowhere in the corner of his vision, fully transformed, he couldn’t say he was surprised.

“You’re disgusting,” Rich spat. “Endangering innocent civilians like this. All that preaching about protecting people won’t fool me.”

“You’re wrong,” Jake said evenly. “Squip chose them. They aren’t civilians anymore. If anything, I’m making the city safer by bringing them in.”

“You’re trying to make them become magical boys,” Rich said. “You’re being selfish and you know it goddamn well.”

“And you have a problem with that, shortstack?” Jake asked smugly.

“I do,” Rich said. “Especially if Jeremy Heere is involved.”

“I see,” Jake said. “So you’ve noticed his magical potential too.”

“I won’t allow it,” Rich growled dangerously. “He can’t become like us.”

“Afraid you won’t be the toughest kid on the block any more?” Jake said. “Because I hate to break it to you, dude, but you aren’t. I could take you on any day.” He leaned closer to Rich and licked his lips. “Are you itching for a fight, Goranski?”

“No,” Rich said. “I won’t let you waste my time, and killing you here would accomplish nothing.” And with that, Rich walked away into the shadows, his threat still hanging in the air. Jake shivered as he kept walking, his hand in a death grip around his soul gem. Putting on a brave face came naturally to him, but he was terrified that Rich would follow through on his threat. He was still seventeen. He wasn’t ready to die. And it certainly wouldn’t be at the hands of Rich Goranski.

 

* * *

 

Jeremy stood outside the Red Bank hospital on Saturday morning, waiting for Michael to pick him up. He’d been there all night, sleeping in the waiting room, with only Squip as his company. His mother had suffered something the doctor called stress cardiomyopathy last night, but she had pulled through. Apparently, it was likely brought on by stress from work, but somehow, Jeremy doubted that the incident would lead to any kind of behavior adjustment. They hadn’t even let him see her. So, coming to the hospital at all almost felt like a waste. _Whatever._

His heart soared when he saw Michael’s PT cruiser pull into the parking lot. He was ready to get the hell out of there and take a long nap. Michael stepped out of his car and ran right to Jeremy, looking worried. He captured his best friend in a tight hug, resting his head on Michael’s shoulder and allowing some tears to slip out.

“I’m sorry for making you come all this way,” Jeremy said shakily. “She’s gonna be okay, though.”

“Of course,” Michael said, petting Jeremy’s hair to comfort him. “I’m always here for you. I mean it. Your mom’s gonna be fine. And once she’s out, she better clean her act up or I’m gonna have words.”

“Right,” Jeremy said with a half-smile, pulling away and wiping his eyes. Michael returned the smile and took a moment to look at the hospital, taking it all in for a second. Then, Jeremy saw his best friend stiffen as he raised an arm to point at the wall.

“Jeremy… look.” Jeremy turned to look at where Michael was pointing, and his heart skipped a beat. There was a grief seed stuck in the wall, pulsing with dark energy.

“It’s about to hatch!” Squip said. “You need to get out of here before a labyrinth opens!”

“If it opens…” Jeremy said shakily. “All those weak patients… my _mom_ … like that woman…”

“I won’t let that happen,” Michael said, placing his hands firmly on Jeremy’s shoulders. “I’ll stay here and watch it. Go find Jake. His apartment is just down that way.”

“No! No way! That’s too dangerous!” Jeremy protested.

“It’s true,” Squip said. “If the labyrinth opens while you’re here, Jake might not get here in time to save you.”

“I can’t just leave it here!” Michael said. “I won’t do that to you, Jeremy. I don’t care if it’s dangerous.”

“Then I should stay with you,” Squip said. “That way, Jake can use telepathy to find me. You’ll have a better chance of being saved that way. Jeremy, go find Jake.”

Jeremy nodded and ran off in the direction of Jake’s apartment complex, heart pounding.

 

 

* * *

 

 

After a minute or two, the labyrinth opened, and Michael clutched Squip a little tighter, doing his best to duck away from the smaller monsters and things roaming the bright, candy coated streets. He shivered as he saw syringes being flung like arrows overhead, covering his head out of fear.

“Are you scared, Michael?” Squip asked.

“No shit,” he mumbled.

“I can always make a contract with you now,” Squip said. “That way, you can fight. I’m sure Jeremy would be grateful for your help.”

“I may ask you to do that,” he said. “But not just yet.”

 

* * *

 

“Here, right?” Jake asked. Jeremy nodded. He swept his hand over the wall and the entrance to the labyrinth opened.

 _Squip. What’s the situation? Are you dudes alright?_ Jake said telepathically.

 _We’re okay,_ Squip responded. _It looks like the monster isn’t going to hatch just yet._

 _Michael? Are you in there?_ Jeremy asked.

_Aw, missing me already, buddy? I’m okay. I’m practically dozing off in here._

_I’m coming,_ Jake said.

 _That’s what he said,_ Michael retorted. Jake rolled his eyes, but smiled cheekily. Jeremy wondered what exactly was going on there, and wasn’t sure if he wanted to know.

 _Come slowly and quietly,_ Squip said. _Using lots of magic will cause the monster to hatch faster._

 _Roger that,_ Jake said. And with that, Jake and Jeremy stepped through the portal.

“I’m glad we got here in time,” Jeremy breathed, taking in his new surroundings and shivering. The checkered floor of the labyrinth was coated in all kinds of candy and pastries, making the unfamiliar world look deceptively docile. He almost reached out to touch one of the flickering shapes floating in front of him, but jumped back as it faded out of existence and a dirty, cracked syringe took its place.

“I’m actually kind of pissed that Michael took such a risk,” Jake said. “What an idiot.”

“That’s my best friend,” Jeremy laughed with a half-hearted shrug.

“It’s really kind of endearing,” Jake said with a laugh. “And it was smart in the long run. We’ll definitely reach him in time. I just hate to think what could’ve happened if we didn’t.”

“He’d die,” Rich said suddenly, appearing behind them. “And that’d be on _you._ ” Jake whipped around and glared at him.

“I thought I told you I didn’t want to see you again,” Jake growled.

“Like it or not, I’m hunting this prey,” Rich said. “I suggest you leave now. Don’t get in my way.”

“No way,” Jake said, narrowing his eyes. “Michael and Squip are in there. We’re not leaving without them.”

“I’ll make sure Michael gets out safely,” Rich said. “Can’t you trust me?”

“No, I can’t,” Jake bit back. “You’ve given me no reason to.”

“I don’t want to have to go through you, but I will if I have to.” Rich reached behind his shield and produced a gun.

“I can’t let you do that.” With a snap, Jake summoned golden ropes from the ground, tying Rich down to the spot where he stood.

“Jake, don’t be a dumbass. Let me go. You need me in there.”

“Oh, do I?” Jake asked. “Nice try. Stay here, and I’ll consider letting you go on my way out. Come on, Jeremy.” Jake grabbed his hand and tugged him along at a brisk pace as they headed deeper into the labyrinth. Jeremy felt a pit of dread growing in his stomach, but he didn’t dare say anything. He’d never seen Jake like this.

“You idiot!” Rich yelled after him. “Let me go!”

They pushed open a door and were met with a long dark corridor as it slammed behind them, lined with levitating pill bottles and other medical equipment. They had to be getting close. It was almost eerily silent. The only sound was the echo of their footsteps.

“Hey, Jake,” Jeremy said quietly.

“Yeah?”

“I think I’ve decided what I want to wish for. But I’m afraid… that you’ll think it’s stupid.”

“Well, I’m hardly in a position to judge,” Jake said with a humorless laugh as he continued leading Jeremy through the hallway.

“Well… you’ve seen me. I don’t have any talents or anything. I’m too anxious to reach out to people and I’m not all that special. I’m scared that I’ll just stay like that forever… but if I could make a difference like you do… fighting monsters… then I could be someone who mattered. So I guess I just want to be a magical boy. That’s my wish. That alone is enough for me.” Jake didn’t say anything for a while, he just stood in his place and stared out into the void.

“It won't be easy. You’ll get hurt. You won't have time to go on dates or go to football games or have fun with your friends.”

“I know. But I’m okay with that. And I really look up to you, Jake,” Jeremy said.

“You shouldn’t,” Jake said shortly.

“What?”

“I just pretend to be cool and brave. And when I get scared or hurt… I have no one to talk to. I just cry alone because I can’t tell anyone about this shit. You know my parents were gone most of my childhood?” Jake kicked at the ground, and a pill bottle rattled off the side of the bridge. “They provided for us with this grand money laundering scheme, spent most of their time in the Caribbean or some shit. They’d been back for a week before the fire started. Told me they were there to stay that time. At least back then I had friends at school, people to talk to. What am I supposed to do with this? Go to the guidance counselor and say ‘Hey I’m in constant danger and it bums me the fuck out’?”

“I understand that… I mean, I don’t exactly understand, not yet anyway, but I hear you.” Jeremy looked up at Jake, wringing his hands together. “And… you’re not alone anymore. Michael and I, we’re here to help you if you’ll have us.”

“You really mean that?”

“Yes! I’m all in, Jake. As soon as we get out of here, I’ll do it.”

Jake bit his lip, but grabbed Jeremy’s arms tightly and pulled him in for a crushing hug. “That… means a lot, Jeremy. As long as you know it’s not as glamorous as I made it look. I’m sorry about that, but I’m being honest with you now. If it’s really what you want, at least make it worth your while. Get a fucking… lifetime supply of chili fries or something, I don’t know. You’re just never going to get an opportunity like this again, don’t waste it.”

“What? I can’t wish for chili fries!” Jeremy said with a giggle.

“Then don’t,” Jake said with a small smile. “You have until I finish off this monster to think of something better.”

_Jake! The grief seed is hatching! Hurry!_

“Let’s do this,” Jake said with a radiant smile. “I’ll finish it off real quick. Because this is the last time I’ll ever have to fight alone!”

With that, Jake took out his soul gem and let its shine envelop him, transforming in a flash. All the surrounding creatures, which resembled little pink mice with sharp teeth, turned and advanced on them, drawn like magnets by Jake’s magic. He smirked and summoned rifle after rifle from his chest, spinning them with flair and taking out the mice one by one. Jake looked so happy and light… he’d only ever seen him like that when they were safe outside a labyrinth, far away from the obligations and the threat of monsters. Jake grabbed his hand and led him through a final door which appeared to be made of chocolate. There was no doubt that it would lead them to the monster. But this time, Jeremy felt no fear.

“About time, Dillinger!” Michael said as they approached.

“Be careful! It’s coming!” Squip said.

“This won’t take long,” Jake said, winking. He leaped down to where the monster was, beaming like a child. This monster looked far more unassuming than the others Jeremy had seen. It almost looked like a small doll, just be sitting on a table, not moving. Jake bounded right up to it, clutching it in his hand and throwing it against the wall of the labyrinth. The monster squeaked but didn’t put up a fight, flopping helplessly to the floor. Jake summoned a gun and shot the monster point blank in the head. Then, for good measure, he summoned yet another gun, which expanded out into a cannon. Jeremy could see the cocky smile on Jake’s face, even from where he was hiding. It made his heart swell to see Jake this happy, to know that he’d never have to be by himself again.

“Final… Shot!” Jake yelled. The bullet shot through the air, ripping a hole through the monster’s chest. But then… the monster turned itself inside out, emerging as a huge black snake-like creature with razor sharp teeth and the painted face of a clown. It charged at Jake, who seemed to be frozen in place.

Jake stared into the mouth of the monster advancing on him, too petrified to move. Why was he just standing there? Why wasn’t he doing anything? He opened his mouth to cry out, but everything seemed to slow down. The monster lunged and chomped its sharp teeth over Jake’s head, its steel-like grip dragging the body up with it as it looped around and dangled Jake like the prey of a stray cat. All he could do was look on in horror as Jake’s transformation dropped. There was a loud, sickening _crack_ as the monster’s teeth sunk into Jake’s skull. From his distance, Jeremy could almost feel the crunch deep into his core.

The monster bit right through his neck, and his limp body fell uselessly to the ground. Another loud _crack_ sounded as the body hit the cold floor of the labyrinth, and Jake’s legs broke from the impact. The monster leaned down and began to eat the remains of Jake’s body, growling and smacking its lips.

“Michael! Jeremy! Make a contract with me, quickly!” Squip said.

“That won’t be necessary,” Rich said, appearing beside them, his face stone cold as usual.

Rich teleported to where the monster was ripping apart the bloody remains of Jake’s body. It noticed the fresh meat and reared its ugly head towards Rich, chomping down and seemingly swallowing him whole. But a second later, Rich appeared several feet to the left. The monster dove at him again, but the same thing happened. After a minute, the monster suddenly exploded from inside, shrieking and writhing until it collapsed on the ground. Rich jumped down and began to make his way over to Michael and Jeremy, who were too paralyzed with fear to move. Rich slammed down the bloody pieces of Jake’s shattered soul gem on the ledge in front of them.

“Burn this image into your minds,” Rich said. “This is what it means to be a magical boy. A second later, and you would have been dead.”

Jeremy could feel himself hyperventilating. Michael looked too frozen to process anything. His face was entirely numb. The labyrinth faded away, leaving them alone in the hospital parking lot. Rich reached down and picked up the grief seed, his cold stare never wavering. There was not a hint of remorse in his eyes.

“Give that back.”

Rich looked up. Michael was shaking violently, clenching his fists in anger. “That’s not yours. That…” Michael began to sob tears of anger, the gravity of the situation finally hitting him. “That belongs to Jake. _Give it back._ ”

“These are for magical boys, dumbass,” Rich said. “You have no right to touch one.”

Jeremy fell to his knees as Rich walked away, his sobs overtaking his entire brain. Michael hit the concrete pillar with his fist, his sobs ringing out just as loud as Jeremy’s.

_Jake..._


	4. There’s Nothing You Can Do

“Mr. Jeremy! Come catch me! You’re it!”

He should have called Christine and canceled. He couldn’t babysit when he felt so empty inside. Joey looked so careless and happy. No.  _ Naive. _ How could he explain to a four-year-old what he was feeling when he couldn’t even admit what had happened to himself?

“Mr. Jeremy?” Joey asked, running up to him and cocking his head in confusion. “Why are you sad?”

Jeremy looked down and noticed wet droplets scattered across the surface of his trembling palms. When did he even start crying? He scrubbed the heels of his hands under his eyes and offered Joey a weak smile. 

“I’m not, a bug just flew into my eye. I’m okay.” It was justified, of course, but he still felt awful lying to him.

“It’s okay if you’re sad,” Joey said. “That’s what Chrissy tells me when I fall down and stuff. And she gives me flowers to make me stop crying!” The four-year-old reached out a chubby hand and placed a small daisy in Jeremy’s tear-stained hand. 

Jeremy’s hand started trembling. He couldn’t take his eyes off that golden center. It was a stunning yellow… and Joey had plucked it right from the ground in its prime. All because of him. All because… 

_ Jake _ … 

“I…” His breath caught in his throat as he had to fight back a sob. “I’m just… so happy to see you up and running around. It makes me think of when I used to play with my friend, that’s all.”

_ Jake had looked so playful and jubilant fighting that monster… like a child running through a daisy field that stretched on to eternity.  _

“We don’t hafta run, Mr. Jeremy,” Joey said, sitting down next to Jeremy and hugging his knees. “Do you wanna hear about my favorite kinda dinosaur?”

“Okay.”

 

* * *

 

“So, what’s the story with Madeline?” Michael asked. “Is she still making googly-eyes at Trey from the basketball team?”

Jeremy trailed behind the group, trembling and trying to keep it together. As Squip shifted on his shoulder, he found himself resenting the way Michael could just pretend nothing had happened. As if they hadn’t watched someone, their  _ friend, _ die right in front of them. As if Jake were still alive instead of haunting him from the Missing Person posters in every corner of the school.

_ Hey Michael...about the other night… _

__ _ I...can’t right now, okay? We’ll talk later. _

__ “...totally had the hots for the gym teacher last year, but after he got drug busted that was a non-starter. Who knows where her sexcapades will take her next!”

“Taking the sex-ed part of gym a little too hands-on, I guess,” Michael laughed, elbowing Jenna as they kept chirping obnoxiously. There wasn’t even a hint of it in Michael’s smile, the slightest hesitation in his laugh. What was wrong with him?

* * *

 

“It feels like we’re in another country… or something,” Jeremy mumbled, resting his head against the cold brick wall of the school. A light breeze ruffled his hair, but he couldn’t be bothered to move an inch. “Even though nothing’s really changed… I still feel like I’m surrounded by strangers.”

“It’s because no one knows,” Michael said eventually. He gave a long, breathy sigh, taking off his glasses to wipe at his eyes. “No one knows about monsters… or what happened to Jake…” He stumbled through the name as if he could hardly stand to say it. “It  _ is  _ like they’re living in a different world than us. A happier… Better world. They don’t have to deal with that shit.”

“Michael…”

“You aren’t going to do it, are you? It was bad enough when it was practically a stranger, but if something like that happened to you, I’d…” Michael stopped trying to hold back the sobs, reaching for Jeremy’s hand, seeking the comfort of a friend who was alive and not going anywhere. “I’d lose it, man.”

“No,” Jeremy said, leaning closer to Michael and letting tears flow freely down his face. “I c-can’t… I know it’s selfish but… Just thinking about the way he died...Even now, it gets so hard to breathe…” Michael wrapped his arms around Jeremy so they felt a little less alone.

“I'm scared... “ Jeremy continued shakily. “I don't want that! And then I think about you and my dad… Jake didn’t have anyone like that… It would be so much worse.”  

“I know…” Michael said somberly. “Why did it have to be him? And not some asshole? He was so brave, and all it got him was…” he trailed off. Neither of them could finish the hanging sentence. Neither one of them wanted to acknowledge that cold reality once again. 

“Hey, Squip,” Michael said after a minute. “What’s going to happen to the city? Without someone to protect us from monsters?”

“This area of the city has been Jake’s territory for a while now,” Squip said. “Once another magical boy or girl hears of the vacancy, they’ll come to the open hunting ground.”

“Of course they will,” Michael spat. “Because they want their precious rewards. They don’t actually give a shit about any of us. Not like Jake did.”

“It’s true. But you are a civilian, are you not? You are in no position to judge their actions,” Squip said.

“Fuck off,” Jeremy whispered. “Please… please just leave us alone. We can’t help you.”

“Clearly not,” Squip said. “I’d best search for other humans more willing to make a contract with me. Goodbye, Jeremy Heere. Michael Mell.”

****

* * *

 

Jeremy had to clear his head, even after he passed his house. So he walked down the street, head down, almost wishing to be swallowed up in a labyrinth to be forgotten forever. So he could forget everything forever. If he wasn’t such a coward...if he had just made a decision faster...maybe Jake would still be alive.

Jeremy felt his eyes start to mist and quickly rubbed at them with his hands, finally allowing himself to look up. 

_ Wait a minute… is that? _

__ “Rich?” 

Rich stiffened, freezing in place. He had a crumpled ball of paper in his hand -- a paper he had angrily ripped off the telephone pole seconds prior. Jeremy cautiously reached down to take the paper from Rich’s hand and spread it out once again. Jake’s face stared back up at him, twinkling smile and all, cracked by the creases running all across the page.

He didn’t know what to say, he could just feel his heart dropping into the pit of his stomach and the slightest tingle of a cold fury building in its place. “Wh- ...why would you do this?”

“They were only going to make you more upset,” Rich said, seizing the crumpled paperback. “That’s all they’re good for. You know as well as I do that Jake isn’t coming back.”

“But you shouldn’t just tear down his posters like that! That’s...that’s horrible! It’s like you’re trying to make everyone forget he was ever here! Even after everything he did, and how hard he worked to keep them safe. Doesn’t he deserve to be remembered for that?”

“He’s just going to be a missing person forever. They’re never going to find him. They’re never even going to find a body, so the sooner people forget, the better,” Rich said. “And the sooner  _ you  _ forget, the sooner you’ll stop blaming yourself.”

Jeremy swallowed, his mind flashing with the image of Jake’s dangling corpse, his head filling with the resounding crack of his bones.

“If I had just listened to you…” Jeremy realized with horror.

“It still wouldn’t have helped Jake,” Rich said. “So don’t blame yourself. I’m just glad I was able to keep  _ you _ from being a dumbass and following in his footsteps.”

Rich turned and started walking. Jeremy followed, though he wasn’t really sure why. It was clear that Rich wasn’t going to offer him any kind of comfort. 

“You really seem experienced with all this stuff,” Jeremy commented, trailing awkwardly behind the shorter boy.

“Yeah,” Rich said. “What about it?”

“Have you seen a lot of people die like that?” Jeremy asked softly.

Rich kept walking, never hesitating or looking back at Jeremy.

“Yeah.”

“How many?”

“I’ve lost count.”

“Oh.” Jeremy couldn’t blame him for closing off like that. Even after just the one, he felt like he had seen too much. More than he was ever meant to. 

“I wonder if they’re gonna have a funeral…” Jeremy mused. 

“Who knows,” Rich said. “His parents are gone. He had acquaintances but he wasn’t close with many people. And when you die in a labyrinth, there’s no body left to bury. That’s what happens to everyone who makes a contract.”

“That’s awful,” Jeremy said, feeling himself tearing up again. He couldn’t handle all of this. Why couldn’t he have just stayed ignorant? Why couldn’t he just stay quiet and hope the police would find Jake safe and sound somewhere like everyone else was doing? Better yet, never have even met Jake, and forgotten about him within a week like everyone else would, instead of battling with the knowledge of what really happened for the rest of his life.

“It's a condition of the contract we make, in exchange for our powers. We're not protectors. We fight for the sake of our wishes, and this is how we pay for them. If we die and no one remembers us, then that’s just how it is.”

“I won’t forget,” Jeremy said firmly, stopping in place. “I’ll never forget Jake. Never.” Rich turned around to face him, face still unreadable. 

“Jake’s one of the lucky ones then,” Rich said. “That bastard.”

“I won’t forget you either!” Jeremy said, stepping forward. “You… saved Michael and me. I’m never going to forget that.” Rich clenched a fist a little tighter. 

“You’re a sap, tall-ass…” he said, almost too softly for Jeremy to hear. Rich stepped forward and dropped the crumpled flier into Jeremy’s hands. Then he turned and walked away. This time, Jeremy didn’t dare follow. 

* * *

 

Jeremy shifted in the creaky hospital chair and stared awkwardly at his mom’s hand. Should he… take it? Would that be weird? Would she even care? He decided against it. If she didn’t want his affection normally, she definitely wouldn’t want it now. It was bad enough sitting there with the hospital smells wafting over him, bringing him back to the labyrinth… to the bridge where he last saw Jake smiling.

...The first time he saw Jake smile for real.

He shook his head and refocused on his mom. “Are you feeling any better?” He murmured.

“I’m fine. I’m missing too much work,” she snapped.

Jeremy sighed. “You know this happened because you work too hard? You wouldn’t be here if you would just take a break and maybe-” He snapped his jaw shut before he could finish that sentence. She was dealing with enough without him guilting her about spending time with him. He saw her hand curl into a ball, clutching the blankets like a hawk with its prey.

His mom turned to look at him, really look at him, for the first time since he’d gotten there. He had to look at the floor to get away from the ice in her stare. “You have no right,” she spat, “NO right to criticize my life choices. Take a good, hard look at yourself, Jeremy. You don’t do extracurriculars, your grades are mediocre at best, you are heading nowhere fast in life. You have no right to tell me that I’m wrong for working so hard to provide for you.”

“Mom, I just-”

“No!” She let out a sharp sigh, and released her hold on the blankets. “You know… I never wanted a kid, and this is why. Your father and I were just stupid kids ourselves, and look what happened. I’m stuck in a dead-end marriage, providing for a kid who will probably spend most of his life living in my basement. And all my work gets me is stuck in a fucking hospital bed. The least you can do right now is be thankful that I stick by my mistakes and let me enjoy some goddamn quiet!”

Jeremy bit his lip. He couldn’t cry, he couldn’t give her the satisfaction. Instead, he stood up, the harsh screech of the plastic chair against the tile biting into his eardrums, and ran.

He ran out the hospital, down the road, all the way to Michael’s. He wouldn’t let himself break down. Not again. He wondered if this is what Jake felt like… alone and unwanted with no one to talk to…

“Jeremy? What are you doing?” Michael said.

He looked up. Michael had opened the door and was looking at him like he’d dropped from the sky.  _ Oh. Guess I forgot to knock. _

“Mi-” He broke down without warning. Michael lunged right at his best friend, capturing him in a tight embrace and letting Jeremy sob until all his feelings were gone, replaced with the raw sting of a scab being ripped off. 

“My….m-my mom...she…..she just….” Jeremy tried to wipe away the stream of salty tears, but he couldn’t stop them. “She didn’t want me!” He yelled. “She never wanted me in the first place and she doesn’t want me now and she never… she won’t…” Jeremy couldn’t form words anymore. He just shook in Michael’s arms. “I… I almost- I almost had the thought that…” He couldn’t finish it. To voice the thought would make it real. The only thing worse than a useless child was a useless child who also wished his mom was dead.

“That  _ bitch, _ ” Michael whispered. He had a dangerous intensity in his voice that Jeremy had never heard before. 

“It’s fine, Michael. It’s my fault. I shouldn’t...” Jeremy said, trying to calm himself down. “There’s nothing you can do.”

Michael held Jeremy tighter. 

 

* * *

 

Michael hadn’t said a lot. There wasn’t a lot he could say. He had, of course, offered to walk Jeremy home, but Jeremy couldn’t bear to be around anyone. 

_ All I do is make life worse for everyone around me.  _ If he had kept his promise to Jake, he’d still be alive. If he wasn’t so useless, his mom wouldn’t work so hard to the point of self-destruction. If he hadn’t been born, his dad wouldn’t be stuck in a loveless marriage.

“Jeremy, good evening!” Jeremy gasped and looked up. Christine was standing there, her face highlighted by the stray shadows of the setting sun. She had one foot crossed daintily behind the other, and gazed up at him with wide eyes and a sickly sweet smile.

“Christine? Jeremy said, trying to collect himself. “What are you doing? Don’t you have play rehearsal?”

“Mmm…” Christine hummed, skipping away, as if she barely heard Jeremy at all. “I’m going somewhere better than play rehearsal.”

“Better than-” Jeremy repeated. “What? Did Michael put you up to this? Because I’m fine, I just-”

“Oh!” Christine grabbed Jeremy’s hands suddenly, cutting him off. Her smile was slightly deranged, giving Jeremy chills. Something was definitely not right. “You should come with me, Jeremy! It’ll be so much fun…” She turned and began walking again, dragging Jeremy behind her with a firm, unbreakable grip. 

“Christine, what are you…” Jeremy trailed off, suddenly feeling his throat close up. That mark… on Christine’s neck…it looked just like that one on that woman who’d jumped off the building.  _ A monster… I can’t just leave her alone! _

__ Christine kept dragging him, and as Jeremy looked around for anyone to help him, he noticed several other people, some his fellow students, moving in the same direction, hobbling like zombies in a mass migration. They all had those same black marks…

_ Jake isn’t here anymore. Who’s going to stop this?  _ He felt his brain straining, reaching out for Squip, anyone, but found only silence.

_ If only Rich were here...no. He wouldn’t save anyone. He only cares about himself. _

__ “In here, Jeremy!” Christine sang out, forcing him through the door of the abandoned, boarded up community theatre. 

“Thank you all for being here!” A familiar voice rang out. Jeremy turned his head and saw Mr. Reyes, standing in front of a small crowd of adults, students, and even young children standing in the abandoned theatre, the flickering, burnt out lights highlighting his face in inhuman ways. “Tonight we complete a sacred ceremony...that will allow us all the ascend to our next life!”

“Mr. Reyes?” Jeremy breathed in disbelief. He saw a woman emerge from behind his homeroom teacher, holding a bucket filled with some unidentified substance. It smelled like bleach…

_ Wait a minute. _

__ Some other teenagers followed, carrying other cleaning supplies in bottles, while everyone pushed closer in anticipation, murmuring about ascending and new lives. 

“Stop!” Jeremy yelled, tugging at Christine’s grip, trying to break free. “You can’t mix those! It’ll kill everyone here!”

“Of course it will, silly!” Christine giggled, never blinking. “It will be so wonderful, don’t you think? We can’t have you interfering…”

“Let me go!” Jeremy screamed, pulling at Christine with all his might. “Let me…” with one final push, he lurched free. Without hesitating for a second, he lunged toward the bucket and scooped it up, throwing it out the window and letting the toxic brew dissipate into the outside air. 

He stood, motionless, as all eyes in the room shifted to focus on him. It only took a second for him to realize he had backed himself into a wall as the crowd advanced toward him. There was no escape.

The first of the hypnotized mob grabbed at his sweater, pulling him into their ranks with insurmountable force.  _ This is where it ends… They’re going to tear me apart, just like… _

__ He squeezed his eyes tightly shut as he felt his body lifted from the ground, clammy hands clawing at every surface of his body. But… they weren’t pulling on him. Instead, they seemed to be moving him somewhere. He risked a glance.

Slowly, but surely, he was being carried towards the stage, where blinding lights flooded the space in front of the curtains, and shoddy props littered the wooden floor. He was dropped to his feet, with a resounding  _ thud _ , and mockingly cheerful music kicked up from all sides. From the audience, he could see Christine and dozens more pairs of soulless eyes staring up at him. 

He didn’t have time to panic. A moldy marionette puppet made its way onto the stage, towering over him with a wicked smile.  _ No, no, it can’t be… _ he’d recognize that smell of rotting sweets anywhere. He choked down the bile rising in his throat as another puppet flashed over the audience, glitter trailing behind it.

“Hey bro, watch this!”

Jeremy wanted to cover his ears, run away, or even just close his eyes, but he couldn’t. He was frozen. Wait… not frozen… He looked down and found dingy strings tied around his limbs. He wasn’t himself anymore, just another synthetic actor in this sick play.

He didn’t speak but he heard his own voice cry out, “Jake, no!”

With a soft, almost playful pop, the puppets collided, and Jake’s wooden head fell to the floor, rolling directly up to Jeremy’s feet. Against his will, the puppeteer dragged Jeremy to his knees and he was forced to look directly into Jake’s eyes.

“Why did you let me die, Jeremy?” Jake’s voice sounded in his ears. Jeremy’s eyes darted around and they were everywhere, glitching headless puppets closing in from all sides. “I saved you. I saved everyone. And you let me die.” A maniacal laugh bubbled from the puppet’s mouth as he felt his strings pull him up into the air.

_ I wonder if this is what a deserve for being a coward...and so weak. I guess… I deserve this.  _ He didn’t fight it as the strings pulled in different directions. Not a single puppeteer, but a dozen puppets held to each of his strings and tugged. Jeremy could almost feel himself unraveling, tearing at the seams as he let himself drown in the musty scent washing over him. Finally, he closed his eyes.

“Michael makes an entrance!”

The world shook. He heard noises of struggle and splintering wood, but he was too terrified to look. He felt each of the strings individually snap, the tension released from his wrists and his ankles as he fell to the ground.

“Sorry, I’m late,” a very familiar voice said. Jeremy felt someone take his hand, and he finally dared to peek at the source.

Michael stood in front of him, katana drawn.  _ Katana…? _

“Michael, what the fuck are you wearing?” 

From head to toe, he was bathed in red, but that wasn’t anything new. Instead of his hoodie, Michael wore a bright white waistcoat with red seams that fell down his back, almost like coattails. He was getting a better view of Michael’s legs than he’d ever seen (or needed to see) in skin-tight crimson jeans and boots. The look was completed with a dark belt fastened haphazardly around his waist and a white, hooded cape flowing out behind him.

“It’s my ass-kicking outfit, bitch.” Michael smirked and leaped into the air. The remaining puppets advanced on him, yanking their wooden heads off and throwing them at Michael. Michael summoned katanas around him in a circle with a dramatic swish of his cape, kicking them up and launching them at the approaching wooden soldiers. 

There was a loud roar, and the monster finally emerged from behind the wall of puppets, seeming to rip through the very fabric of reality. It had the glitching form of a laughing child, who held marionette handles in its hands. From behind its back, the monster produced more and more sets of arms, each with puppet handles in their grip. Michael leapt at it, bearing his sword and smiling with confidence. He slashed the monster in two with one clean cut. It shrieked and faded away, shriveling up and leaving only a small grief seed as a marker for the pain it had caused. 

“You…”

Michael and Jeremy both turned to see Rich standing a few feet away. He was transformed and giving them a death glare.  _ When did he get here? Why didn’t he do anything? _

“Goranski,” Michael said. “You don’t look that happy to see me! I’m shocked, really, I am.”

“It’s your funeral. Not mine.” Jeremy blinked, and Rich was gone.

“Are you hurt at all, Jeremy? I’m sorry I couldn’t get here sooner… but I  _ am _ new at this, in my defense.”

“How could you…” Jeremy whispered, too horrified to move. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from the red soul gem that was fastened above Michael’s belly button.  _ He couldn’t get that image out of his head...the bloody shattered shards... _ “You could… just like… “

“Oh, I’ll be fine!” Michael chirped with a wave of his hand. “I kicked ass, and it was my first time. Don’t worry about me. I’m just glad I was able to save you.”

_ But who’s gonna save you, Michael? I know I can’t. _

* * *

 

“I’m sorry, what did you just say to me?” 

“This area has already been taken over by a new magical boy. He just made a contract with me earlier today. You are better off staying where you previously were so you can hunt the monsters there.”

“Fuck that. I heard Jake ate it. So I came all the way down here, only to have this prime spot yanked away?” The girl flipped her hair and turned towards Squip. 

“So what are you going to do?”

“I’ll tell you what I’ll do,” she snapped. “I’m gonna take what’s rightfully mine. I’ll just put that new guy out of commission...”

She smirked and pulled out a tube of lipstick, smirking as she applied it flawlessly. 

“...Permanently.”


	5. I Made the Right Decision

Michael’s heart was pounding. He could feel his blood rushing in his ears. This would change everything. The bright, incessant sun was directly overhead, casting long square shadows from the surrounding buildings. He took a breath in… than out. A breeze ruffled his hair and sent dandelion seeds soaring through the air, each one headed towards whatever forlorn corner of the city it was destined to travel to. Was he really going to do this? The white cat across from him bounded up onto a ledge, situating itself right across from him.

“So, you can grant any wish, right? No bullshit?” 

“Yes. I can grant yours without a problem.”

Good. That was good. If he went through with this… maybe he could make a difference. After all, that’s what Jake would want him to do, right?

“So, are you ready?” Squip asked, pulling Michael away from his thoughts.

“Yeah. Do it.”

* * *

 

“Are you sure you’re doing okay?” Brooke said, voice filled with concern. She hadn’t stopped fussing over Christine since lunch had started. 

“Yeah, I’m fine, really!” Christine said through a yawn. “Just a bit tired.”

“Ecstasy will do that to you,” Jenna said, never looking up from her phone. “You’re on top of the world and then you crash  _ hard. _ ”

“It wasn’t ecstasy!” Christine said, looking appalled. “That would be very irresponsible! I was up almost all night talking to the police, and they  _ still  _ don’t know what it was.”

“We’re just glad you’re okay, Chris,” Michael said, winking at her. “You came out unscathed and that’s what matters.”

“Yeah, I  _ am _ grateful for that,” Christine said. “But I can’t say I’m not concerned about some of Jenna’s extracurricular activities…”

Michael and Brooke laughed good-naturedly. Jeremy just stared down at his hands, clasped in his lap. He didn’t see any humor in it at all.  _ Michael… _

* * *

 

A forlorn jingle came from the Xbox as “GAME OVER” flashed across the screen. Michael groaned and dropped his controller, leaning back in his beanbag and chuckling to himself. 

“You’re doing worse than usual today, buddy,” Michael commented. “Step it up! I’m at the top of my game. In all aspects, you might say.” Grinning, he sat up again, producing his soul gem for Jeremy to see. Its bright red glow reflected off Michael’s glasses and lit up both of their faces in the dark basement. 

“Aren’t you scared?” Jeremy said, hugging his knees and looking at the message on the television screen. 

“Well, yeah,” Michael said. “But it really wasn’t that hard to beat that monster. And if something had happened to you… or Christine or anyone else. That thought scares me a lot more.” Michael tossed his soul gem casually from hand to hand, an easy smile on his face. “I really feel great. More confident than ever. And I get to finish what Jake started. So, I’m really glad I did it.”

“You don’t regret it?” Jeremy asked quietly. 

“Well… the only thing I regret,” Michael sighed, “is that I waited so long to make up my mind. If I could have helped Jake fight that monster…” He stuffed his soul gem into his hoodie pocket and poked Jeremy’s cheek playfully. “Hindsight’s a bitch, isn’t it?”

Jeremy nodded, not knowing what else to say.

“I wasn’t sure then,” Michael said. “But I was sure yesterday. And I’m still sure. I made the right decision. But it’s different for you, so don’t feel like you need to do it too. It’s your decision, and I’ll be just fine on my own.”

“You think?” Jeremy said, finally looking at Michael.

“Yeah. I do,” Michael said, grabbing Jeremy’s hand and squeezing it. “Now, I think you should go visit your mom.” Jeremy swallowed. He wasn’t sure he ever wanted to see his mother again. After all, she’d made it very clear that she didn’t want to see him. He wished things could be different but… 

“Um...yeah,” Jeremy said, staring down at his shoelaces. Michael laid a comforting hand on Jeremy’s shoulder.

“I can come with you, if it’d be easier,” Michael said. There was a glimmer behind Michael’s eyes, like he was eager to help. He was grateful for the offer, but Jeremy was worried. The last thing he wanted was for his mom to create another… scene in front of Michael. Still, he wasn’t sure he had the courage to go on his own. He had half a mind to just sneak off back to his house the second he left Michael’s basement.

“I don’t want to make you come all that way.”

“Nonsense,” Michael said. “I’m happy to do it. Strength in numbers.” 

“You make it sound like she’s going to attack me,” Jeremy said, elbowing Michael slightly. 

“Well, I can handle all types of monsters now,” Michael said, sitting up a little straighter. “Stop stressing. Maybe I’m just in a good mood or whatever, but I have a feeling everything’s gonna be okay.”

* * *

 

She definitely looked better, at least physically. Less pale. More alive. Michael closed the door gently behind them and Jeremy tried to gather himself. 

“Oh, you brought Michael.”  _ Kind of her to remember his name for once.  _

“If you have something to say,” Jeremy mumbled, feeling a little braver now that he wasn’t alone, “you can say it to both of us.”

“Come here, Jeremy,” she said. Jeremy’s legs froze and his brain screamed at him to step back and escape. He didn’t want to be any closer to her. But Michael wouldn’t let him get hurt. He’d never let Jeremy get hurt, as long as they’d known each other. Jeremy slowly walked up to the bed and hesitantly looked his mother in the eye. He bit his lip and waited for her to say something about how terrible he was, how he made her want to die.

Instead, his mother pushed herself up into a seated position and wrapped her arms tightly around Jeremy in a surprisingly warm hug. It was too good to be true. It had to be a trick, a trap. But Jeremy didn’t even care if it was. He couldn’t remember the last time his mother had shown him tangible affection of any sort. He shakily brought his arms up and wrapped them carefully around his mother’s torso, resting his head on her shoulder as tears began to break loose. 

“I’m so sorry, sweetheart,” she said, gently petting Jeremy’s head. “I’ve been such an awful mother to you. Working all the time and making you feel useless.” She broke away from him and wiped a few tears from her eyes. Even after all her time in the hospital, she still looked exhausted. But there was something new in her eyes. Could it be… love?

“Mom-” Jeremy said, voice breaking. “It’s really fine…”

“It’s  _ not, _ ” she insisted, gently grabbing Jeremy’s hands. “I’ve just been overworking and stressing myself out too much. Just like you said. Just like your father said. And… I let that translate into cruelty on my part. I feel like I’ve failed you.” 

Jeremy didn’t say anything. He couldn’t believe this was happening. His words… somehow… had made a difference.

“When I said…” she sighed, “that you were an accident… I didn’t mean it. You… you are one of the best things in my life, Jeremy. Whether we planned you or not. I love you. You know that, right?”

He didn’t know that.

“Y-yeah.”

“I’m going home tomorrow, but I’m going to take another week off work. I miss seeing you. I feel like half your life has just flown by while I was in a cubicle. Go have fun with Michael. I’ll see you soon, okay?” 

“Do you think you could come home more?” Jeremy asked softly, hoping he wasn’t pushing his luck. “On weekends? Maybe not work so many late nights?”

“Of course,” she said warmly. “Of course.” She pulled him in once again and kissed his forehead. “I owe you that much.”

She waved goodbye as Jeremy stumbled out of the room with Michael in tow. That didn’t just go well… that was like a dream come true. 

Jeremy walked on air as the hospital doors parted in front of him.  _ His mom loved him. _ He’d dreamt a thousand times over the warmth he’d feel if he ever finally heard her say those words, clung to the way her voice would sound with the sharp edge sanded down… but more than anything he felt relief.

His whole life, he’d felt like a waste; if even his mom didn’t love him, what was he really worth after all? But now… he felt whole. Like a real, living person instead of an eternal burden to those who mattered most.

He glanced up at Michael and noticed the confidence in his stride. With every step, he seemed to grow taller, stronger, more energetic… almost like Jake in his last minutes of life. A claw of dread dug back into his stomach, souring the moment slightly. He couldn’t let it happen again. If he could finally feel like a human being, then he could do more than that too. He steeled himself and clutched at the sleeves of his sweater. He didn’t know how, but no way he’d let that grin of determination fall from Michael’s face. He was certain of it.

* * *

 

“So that’s the new magical boy, huh?” Chloe smirked and brushed her hair out of her face. She watched the boy in question leave the hospital with a shorter, skinnier boy. She zoomed in her iPhone camera and hummed in distaste. 

“Are you really going to pick a fight with him?” Squip asked. 

“I was thinking more along the lines of straight-up killing him,” she said. “After all, he should know better than to snatch up the best hunting grounds from a veteran like me. What, you got a problem with that?”

“It may not be that simple,” Squip said. “There’s another magical boy in this city as well.”

“What?” Chloe hissed. “Since when?”

“I’m not really sure myself,” Squip said, jumping off the ledge it was perched on to walk across the railing Chloe was leaning against.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Chloe said, raising a perfectly penciled eyebrow. “If he’s a magical boy, then he made a contract with you, right?”

“You could say yes. You could also say no.”

“Well  _ you’re  _ fucking helpful,” Chloe snapped. 

“He is quite the irregularity. Even I cannot guess when or where he’ll strike, or even what his goals are.”

“Fine by me,” Chloe said, pulling out a tube of mascara. She started to freshen up her eye makeup as she continued. “I’d love to shake things up a bit. Another boy to beat up is always fun.”

* * *

 

Even though Jeremy had requested to meet, he still felt his blood go cold as soon as Rich walked into the cafe. 

“You wanted to talk?” Rich said as he approached the table. Jeremy nodded. Rich scared the shit out of him, but he had no choice. Michael’s life was worth it.

“Yes…” Jeremy said. “I hope that’s okay.”

“I always have time for you, tall-ass.” The tiniest of smirks emerged on his face.  _ Again with that nickname? _

__ “It’s about Michael,” Jeremy said as Rich slid into the chair across from him and set down his coffee. Rich’s ghost of a smile disappeared. “Could you… could you promise me that you’ll look out for him? He’s my best friend and I’m…” Jeremy paused to let out a breath. “I’m terrified that something horrible is going to happen to him.”

Rich took in a deep breath and swirled one finger through the condensation on the coffee lid. “I can’t lie to you, Jeremy: it will. It already has.” He raised the cup to his lips and took a long swig without breaking eye contact. 

Jeremy felt ice climbing up his spine. “But-”

“You said you’d remember Jake. So I’m sure you remember what happened to him, right?” Rich’s hazel eyes bored into Jeremy’s as he yanked the top off of his cup in one clean motion. At the same time, he let out a mocking “popping” sound with his lips.

“Stop it!” Jeremy said, grabbing Rich’s wrist with his hand. “Don’t talk about him that way.” Rather than pulling away, Rich gently loosened Jeremy’s grip with his other hand, his gaze never faltering. He stood up, and Jeremy half expected him to walk out the door, but instead he came closer, propping one knee on Jeremy’s side of the booth and leaning into him. He froze as Rich planted a hand on the wall behind him and tried not to notice the way the warmth of his breath curled around his face in stark contrast with the ice in his eyes.

“Please don’t fight with him like you did with Jake,” Jeremy said shakily. “Please…I need him to be okay.  _ Please... _ ”

Rich spoke near a whisper. “There’s not a damn thing I can promise you, except for this: Michael signed his death certificate the second he decided his wish.”

“No…” Jeremy whispered to himself.  _ No. Not Michael. Anyone but Michael. _

“He’s a dumbass for making the contract. But so am I for not keeping an eye on him. I won’t make the same mistake with you. Once you become a magical boy, there’s no going back. He gave up on everything in exchange for some wish. And eventually, he’ll give up on his wish as well.”

“And what?” Jeremy snapped, trying to hold back his tears of frustration and confusion. “Have you given up too?”

“No,” Rich said immediately. “Never. My wish is too precious to me.”

“Then maybe Michael will-”

“Do you know what he wished for?” Rich cut him off. Jeremy words died on his tongue.  _ Michael didn’t tell me. Why wouldn’t he tell me if he had a wish that was so important to him? What could possibly be worth that? _

__ “I guess I just wasted your time,” Rich said. He stepped back from Jeremy, face devoid of emotion. “I’m sorry.”

Then he turned on his heels and walked away, leaving Jeremy alone, somehow feeling even more powerless than before. 

* * *

 

Michael blinked at his reflection and gave himself a soft slap in the face. He had to focus. It probably wasn’t wise to get high before setting out to voluntarily seek out near-death experiences, but he figured it would all work out fine. 

“Are you scared?” Squip piped up. Michael shot Squip a side glance.

“‘Course not. Just my life. No biggie,” Michael shrugged. “One mistake and I’m donezo, but at least I’m fulfilling a shit-ton of childhood dreams right now.”

“What do you mean by that?” Squip said blankly, cocking its head.

“I mean, I’m practically a superhero,” Michael said. “I even have a cape! I’m slaying: figuratively and literally.” 

His phone buzzed from where it was sitting on his bed. 

 

|From: Jeremy| hey are you going monster hunting today?

 

Michael smiled to himself and walked to his window. Jeremy was standing on his doorstep, staring at the door with a fist raised, as if he meant to knock. 

“Jeremy!” Michael called out the window. He grabbed his phone and his soul gem and bounded down the stairs to meet his best friend outside the door.

“So, uh… are you heading out?” Jeremy said with a half-smile. Michael’s heart sank. He couldn’t tell as easily from up in his room, but up close he could see Jeremy looked terrified. 

“I’m going to be  _ fine,  _ Jeremy. Really. I’m like an X-man now.” Michael smiled at him and patted his back to reassure him. “The only thing I’m worried about right now is settling on a superhero alias. You like the sound of Weed Man?”

Jeremy didn’t say anything. Michael sighed and bit his lip. 

“Are you going to be okay on your own?” Jeremy asked, voice small. 

“Yeah,” Michael said. He waved a hand dismissively. “Jake did this by himself, so I can too.”

“Jake  _ died _ , Michael,” Jeremy spat. Michael went silent. He tried to focus on the ground, not letting his mind drift to the images he’d seen that day.

“I thought we’d agreed we wouldn’t do this. I can’t watch that happen. Not again. Not to you.” Jeremy’s voice had gotten quieter, almost to a whisper.

“Would it help if I asked Squip for a helmet?” Behind his eyes, the monster danced, dragging along Jake’s broken corpse.

“Michael-”

“I can wear kneepads and fancy sports tape-” He tried to ignore the burning in his throat as the crunch of bones rang out through his head.

“Shut up!” Jeremy yelled. Michael did. He noticed all too late that Jeremy was shaking and his eyes were streaming. Everything seemed to stop for a minute. The only thing moving was a slight breeze, drifting between the two of them in the deafening silence.

“You could tell, couldn’t you,” Michael said softly. “That my hands are shaking? They haven’t stopped. Not since I got home from school. I… I would hate to ask you to come with me, but I’m really scared.”

Jeremy almost smiled. Almost. “You really think I’d let you go without me?”

“No,” Michael chuckled, taking Jeremy’s hand. “I know you wouldn’t. And if you’re with me, I’m going to feel braver. Because I have someone worth protecting, you know?” Squip shifted on Michael’s shoulder, poking its head out from behind Michael’s head. 

“You’d better get going. It’ll be easier to hunt when it's still light out.” Michael nodded and started to make his way down the driveway, comforted by the sounds of Jeremy’s footsteps behind him. This was exactly what he needed -- just that simple reminder of why he was fighting. That would be enough.

* * *

 

Jeremy couldn’t understand how Michael could even pretend to look so chipper when they both knew what might wait on the other side of a labyrinth. But he had to come along. He had too. He’d been a coward before, and he wasn’t about to repeat his mistake. 

_ You have a plan, don’t you, Jeremy Heere? _

Squip was looking right at him, his unblinking eyes boring right into him. Michael didn’t stop walking.

_ Just by coming along, you’re giving Michael a trump card.  _

__ _ I… _

__ _ You don’t have to say anything. We both know Michael will be against it, but if you do decide on a wish, I’ll be waiting.  _

“I think I’ve got something!” Michael said suddenly, holding out his flashing soul gem. They ducked into an alleyway and sure enough, there was a strange dark spot on the brick wall. Mimicking Jake, Michael waved his hand over it and the entrance to the labyrinth appeared. Without a glance back, Michael stepped in, and Jeremy hurried after. The world had turned to paper and they could already see the monster, which looked like a crayon drawing come to life, hiding in the corner. 

“This labyrinth was likely made by a familiar, not a monster,” Squip said.

“Fine by me,” Michael said. “I’d rather start with something easy anyway.” And with that, Michael pulled out his soul gem and transformed with a stunning crimson light. Jeremy took a step back, squeezing Squip to his chest. Michael grabbed his cape and swished it dramatically, winking back at Jeremy. Then he summoned a circle of katanas and began to kick them up one by one at the fleeing familiar. It was too fast though, and none of them hit it or slowed it down. Michael cursed under his breath and got ready to summon more weapons when out of nowhere, a spear appeared and knocked down Michael’s katanas in one fluid swipe.

“Stop, stop,” a new voice said. “Jesus fuck.”

The familiar turned the corner and disappeared, the labyrinth fading with it. A girl dropped down from somewhere above them. Her wavy brown hair was tied up in a high ponytail with a purple bow. She wore a purple dress with an opening near her chest that showed a bright violet soul gem. She had on a sort of pleated skirt underneath the dress and tall matching boots.  _ A magical girl… _

“What do you think you’re doing?” the girl demanded, raising a sharply penciled eyebrow. 

“Hey, move!” Michael yelled, summoning another round of katanas. “It’s getting away! I called dibs!” He moved to chase after it, but before he could, the girl thrust her spear forward until it was an inch away from Michael’s neck. Jeremy gasped as its razor sharp point reflected the setting sun. 

“Are you fucking stupid?” the girl laughed. “That was a familiar, not a monster. It’s not going to have any grief seeds.”

“I know,” Michael snapped. “But if I just let it go, it’ll kill someone!”

She snorted. “I see. You’re one of  _ those _ .” 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Michael said, narrowing his eyes at the girl. 

“I’m telling you,” she continued, pulling out a compact mirror with her free hand and checking her makeup. “You should let it kill a couple people first so it becomes a monster. Four or five usually does it. Then, when you kill it, you get a grief seed. Lucky you. You should have at least let it eat your friend.”

She retracted the spear and spun it a couple times, her sick grin never faltering. 

“You goddamn bitch,” Michael said. “And what about the people it kills? You too busy covering up those zits to care about them?”

The girl grit her teeth and pulled Michael in by his collar, staring directly into his eyes. 

“Listen, I know you’re new around here. But let me tell you how this is going to go,” she hissed. “I’m going to kill you right here, and take what belongs to me. You’ll never get shit done around here with an attitude like that anyway.”

“Oh, is that how it is?” Michael said, getting riled up. “Am I just disposable to you then? Like all those other people you let die every day? I’d love to see you try.”

The girl snapped, and suddenly a barrier appeared, closing Michael and the girl into the alleyway and keeping Jeremy separated.  _ Kind for someone who doesn’t give a shit about the lives of civilians.  _

“I bet you think you’re some kind of hero,” the girl continued, advancing on Michael. “An ‘ally of justice’ or something. I bet you want to  _ help  _ people. You didn’t actually make a contract over that load of bull, did you?”

“And what if I did?” Michael snapped. “Intimidated by someone who still has a soul?”

She laughed again, a sharp dagger of sound slicing straight through the tension in the air. “Please. Magical boys like you are a waste of power. You blow your wish on something stupid, thinking you’re gonna be some big hero, and then you die within a month. You’re  _ useless _ . I’m just speeding up the cycle here.”

That was what pushed Michael over the edge. He lunged at the girl, summoning a sword and aiming it at her side. She blocked it effortlessly with a tired expression, leaving Michael straining to overpower her, to no avail. 

“The way you’re butting into this and acting like it’s a game,” she spat. “Kinda pisses me off.” She pushed her spear forward and knocked the katana out of Michael’s hand. Then with a sick grin, she whirled the spear around as it broke into segmented pieces connected by chains and reformed as a shorter, bulkier spear. The momentum pushed Michael back as the spear hit him square in the chest, knocking him into the side of a building. The impact caused a nearby pipe to break, spilling water onto the floor of the alleyway. 

“Michael!” Jeremy yelled, straining to see from behind the barrier. 

“I’m fine,” Michael said shortly. He stood up, using a nearby katana as a crutch. He was limping and had a huge gash in his stomach, but he was alive and that was all that mattered. He gave a pained laugh, turned towards the girl. “That wasn’t very cash money of you.”

“Hm. Not done yet, I see.”

“Round two,  _ bitch, _ ” Michael growled. “You’re going to have to try harder than that.”

“Oh I will!” the girl sneered as she leapt towards Michael again. Their weapons clashed and clanged in a quick, incomprehensible display of motion. Michael was mostly playing defense to the girl’s rapid-fire attacks. He could barely seem to keep up, much less attack. The girl whipped her spear around her body, extending it out into a long chain that wrapped around Michael’s stomach and flung him against the wall like an inanimate dummy. 

“You don’t get it when I explain it to you,” the girl said, recoiling the spear and connecting the segments once again. “And you don’t get it when I beat it into you.” She gave a sick grin and leapt up the side of the alleyway. “Then I guess I’ll just have to kill you!” She pointed the spear down at a helpless Michael, ready to land the finishing blow. 

“Look out!” Jeremy yelled.

Just as the spear was about to make contact, Michael summoned a katana and hit it away, shakily raising his head to glare at her defiantly. 

“I won’t lose,” he said. “Not to you.”

Michael got back to his feet, his eyes shining with a new fire. The girl attacked again, and Michael countered, and they resumed their dance of clanging metals and near-fatal blows. Michael was attacking now. Jeremy had never seen him like this…

“Is there any way to stop them?” he asked Squip desperately.

“Only another magical boy could get in between them now,” Squip said, matter-of-factly. “Neither seems to want to back down. This fight is to-the-death.”

“That can’t be right…” Jeremy said, too horrified to process what Squip had said. “Michael would never…” He didn’t want Michael to get hurt. And he definitely didn’t want Michael to hurt anyone. So… he really had no choice.

“Okay, Squip,” Jeremy said. “I-” He was interrupted by a loud thump as Michael hit the ground, one of his swords landing inches away from his body. 

“Well, this was fun!” the girl said. “But it’s over for you!” She placed one shimmering boot on his chest and raised the spear up to his throat, every inch of her smile gleaming with malice, almost like she was enjoying it. 

“Squip, I wish-”

“There’s no need for that.”

Jeremy looked around for the source of the voice, but couldn’t find Rich anywhere. Before he could register what had happened, he heard the spear clattering to the ground.  _ No… _ It was over. He couldn’t bring himself to look.

“What the fuck?” he heard the girl say.  _ Huh?  _ He looked up and saw Michael on the opposite side of the alleyway, still curled up and hurt. The spear had struck the ground, and Rich stood in front of her, clutching her wrists with white knuckles. 

“Rich…” Jeremy breathed.  _ Maybe he listened to me after all. _


	6. That’s Horrible...

The alleyway fell completely silent. Michael shakily began to stand up, eyes widening at the sight of Rich’s sudden appearance. The girl was too stunned to move. Rich, ever a stone-cold statue, grasped the girl’s wrists tightly, keeping her in place. Jeremy could only hear his own heart pounding and the blood rushing in his ears.

“Wha-” the girl said. She yanked her hands free of Rich’s grip and took a step back, looking around suspiciously. “Where the fuck did you come from?” she yelled at him, reaching down for her spear and holding it up to Rich’s throat. “What the hell did you do?” Jeremy blinked, and suddenly, Rich was standing behind her, a full-blown smirk on his face. 

“Wha-” she repeated. She whirled around on her heels and pointed the spear at Rich again, eyeing him warily. “Oh, I see…” she said. “You’re that irregularity, aren’t you?” Rich didn’t say anything. 

_ Irregularity?  _

From the corner of his eye, Jeremy saw Michael stagger to his feet. He was bleeding, but he didn’t appear to be in too much pain. Jeremy felt the tension leave his shoulders. His best friend was alive… and he was going to be okay. As long as he didn’t try to pick another fight… 

“Stay out of our way!” Michael yelled, lunging towards Rich with a katana drawn. But before he could land a hit, Rich teleported behind him, knocking Michael on the head with his shield. Jeremy watched in horror as Michael fell limply to the ground. 

“Michael!” Jeremy yelled. The barrier the girl had put up previously faded away and Jeremy ran to his friend’s motionless body. 

“It’s all right,” Squip said from where he was perched on Jeremy’s shoulder. “He’s only unconscious.”

__ The girl narrowed her eyes at Rich but didn’t raise her weapon to threaten him again. 

“Who the hell are you?” she demanded. “Who’s side are you on, anyway?”

“Certainly not your side if you’re going to continue to pick pointless fights,  _ Chloe _ ,” Rich said blankly. The girl gasped, looking truly taken aback before she recovered and her gaze hardened once more. 

“How do you know me?” Chloe hissed. “Are you some sort of stalker?”

“Perhaps,” Rich said with an easy shrug. “Who knows?” Rich’s eyes bored into Chloe’s. Jeremy couldn’t help but wonder if the two of them were going to fight. It looked as though Chloe wouldn’t be able to beat him in the fight as long as he could do that teleporting… thing… but neither of them looked willing to back down from the other. 

“Fuck this,” Chloe finally mumbled. She turned to leave, her eyes cutting into Jeremy briefly before she turned around fully and leapt up the sides of the brick buildings until she was out of sight. Rich cracked his knuckles and turned to Jeremy, expression cold. 

“You… saved us,” Jeremy breathed. “I-”

“How many times do I have to tell you?” Rich snapped. “How stupid are you? You shouldn’t become involved in this. I told you to forget about Michael, yet here you are.” Jeremy felt fear course through his veins and all over his body, suddenly sobering as he remembered what Rich had told him in the cafe. Was Rich really his friend? What was he hiding?

“He’s my  _ best friend, _ ” Jeremy said. “I’m not leaving him. Never.”

“Fine,” Rich spat. “If I have to resort to more drastic measures, so be it.” Threat still hanging in the air, Rich turned and slowly walked away. 

“He’s planning something,” Squip mused. “We’ll have to be more careful than ever.” Jeremy nodded mutely as he watched Rich turn a corner and disappear from sight. Michael was still unconscious next to him, so Jeremy just hugged his knees close to his chest and waited. He would never let Michael go it alone. Never. Rich just didn’t understand what it meant to be loyal. Jeremy didn’t care if he was putting himself in danger if it meant he was there to support Michael. And no matter what Rich said, he wouldn’t hesitate to make a wish if it meant saving his best friend’s life.  _ After all,  _ Jeremy thought as he played with his sweater sleeve.  _ My life’s not really worth all that much. _

* * *

 

Michael tapped the grief seed against his soul gem and watched the darkness seep out. It began to glow more brilliantly than ever. He was glad they had eventually found a monster to fight… but he could care less about the victory. That girl. Chloe, Jeremy had said. What the fuck was her deal?

“Your soul gem should be clear for a while,” Squip said. Michael sighed and examined the grief seed in his hand. It was pitch black. “Oh, and you’ll want me to get rid of that for you. It’s dangerous now.”

“Huh?”

“If it absorbs any more impurity, it’ll hatch a familiar,” Squip explained pointedly. “Give it to me.” Michael placed it on his bed next to Squip carefully -- he absolutely despised touching it. He knew, deep down, that that was ridiculous since grief seeds were something of a prize (he’d played enough video games to understand rare drops) but seeing it reminded him of Jake. It reminded him of the danger he was really in. 

Squip walked over to the grief seed and swallowed it whole. Michael adjusted his glasses and blinked at Squip in disbelief. “Did you just fucking… eat… it?” he asked.

“Just another one of my duties,” Squip responded. “You’re welcome.” 

“Geez,” Michael breathed. He stood up and shrugged off his hoodie, searching the floor for wherever he’d hidden his bong. Was it under the bed? In the closet? He’d just used it earlier that day, but his mind was already so cramped with thoughts of that bitch, Chloe, he couldn’t even remember where he’d put it. How she’d made a mockery of everything Jake had stood for. How she’d knocked him down so damn easily. 

“You’d better hurry up and find another grief seed tomorrow,” Squip said. “Before you have to purify your soul gem again.”

“Gotcha,” Michael said, finally finding the bong underneath a pile of dirty clothes. “You know, I’ve been meaning to ask… why is it so important to keep my soul gem clean?”

“Chloe Valentine was quite powerful, wasn’t she?” Squip said. Michael scowled and walked over to his sock drawer where he kept his stash. “If you have extra grief seeds to clean your soul gem with, you can waste as much magic as you want during a fight.” 

“Ugh…” Michael mumbled. “I can only get that many if I stoop to her level and only fight monsters. No, thank you.” He walked out of the room to fill the bong with water in the bathroom sink, not caring if he was making noise. Fuck being sneaky, he needed this badly.

“The more magic you use, the more polluted your soul gem becomes,” Squip continued as Michael re-entered, looking more pissed off than ever. “And if it becomes too polluted, you won’t be able to fight anymore.” Michael sighed and set the bong down on the ground, turning and giving Squip is full attention.

“Jake fought familiars and monsters. He never had a surplus of grief seeds and he fought just fine. What, do I just suck at it?”

“Jake was more talented than you,” Squip said. 

“Aw, what?” Michael protested. “That’s some bullshit right there!”

“It’s out of your hands,” Squip said. “Chloe has lots of inborn magical potential. So did Jake. You, however, do not have a lot of inborn talent, but that is not your fault. All you can do now is build up experience.” Michael sighed and laid back on his bed, stewing in his leftover anger. “There is someone who could beat Chloe easily, though,” Squip cut in. “Who has more inborn magical potential than anyone else I’ve ever come across.”

“Whoop-de-fucking-do,” Michael said to the ceiling. “And who would that be?”

“Jeremy Heere,” Squip said. 

“Ha!” Michael said. “Good one.” He raised his head and saw Squip staring at him. “You’re joking, right?  _ Jeremy? _ ”

“I cannot joke,” Squip said. “Jeremy would be a very powerful magical boy if he were to make a contract. So, if you can’t beat Chloe by yourself, you could always ask Jeremy to-”

“No.” Michael sat up and stared at his desk across the room, which had a framed picture of the two of them laughing together. “He shouldn’t put himself in danger for me. After all… I’m fighting for his sake.” Michael pulled his soul gem out of his pocket and stared at it for a couple seconds before tucking it away and reaching down for the bong. 

* * *

 

Chloe combed through the racks of clothes, biting her lip in distaste as she realized that there was nothing new. It was a shame… she really could do with some new jackets as the weather turned colder. She supposed some of these could do in a pinch and thought about grabbing them just in case, but ideally, she’d be able to find something nicer. After all, she had a wish to maintain.

Someone cleared their throat behind her and Chloe turned around, fully prepared to deal with a horny creep asking her for her number. Or her cup size. But it was just that magical boy. The irregularity. He was in civilian clothes, with no weapons in sight. 

“What do you want?” she snapped. 

“I want to put you in charge of this city,” he said simply. 

“What,” Chloe said. She turned completely around and leered over him, grateful for the extra height her heels gave her. “Are you serious? A change of heart? Well, isn’t that nice.”

“Michael is making an ass of himself. He’s not fit to be a magical boy,” the boy said. “We both know he likely won’t survive the month. He made a split-second wish and doesn’t have enough magic to keep up with himself. He’ll start to crack under the pressure any day now. Maybe he already has.”

“That’s what  _ I  _ said,” Chloe said, rolling her eyes. “No need to mansplain it to me, whatever your name is.” She waited for him to cut in and introduce himself, but he never did. “So what, do you want me to  _ play nice _ ? If I leave him alone, he’ll probably just come bug me again and if he’s annoying, I might just have to finish him off. It’s out of my hands.”

“If he does, I’ll handle him myself,” he said. “But don’t pick another fight with him.”

“Yeah, that’s great, that’s great,” Chloe said. She had had enough of his whole “mysterious bad-boy” shtick. She grabbed him by the shirt and stared down at him, in her best attempts to make him flinch, make his stare waver.  _ Christ, is this guy even human?  _ She would’ve thought he was just a picture, frozen in one moment. It was only the slightest rise and fall of his chest that indicated otherwise.

“By the way, if you’re stalking me because you want me, it’s not going to happen, pal,” Chloe said. 

“You’re not my type,” the boy deadpanned. “And I’m not your type either.” His eyes flickered down to where Chloe was holding him by his shirt and she released him with a huff.

“Really? And what would  _ my type _ be, Shrimpy?”

“Girls, mostly,” he said with a knowing grin. Chloe grabbed him again, harder, and pushed him against the wall, vibrating with anger.

__ “You still haven’t told me who the hell you are. What exactly is in this for you?” she demanded. 

“In two weeks, a monster called Walpurgisnacht will come to destroy the city,” the boy said seriously. There was the smallest hint of emotion behind his eyes for a second. A fire, an anger. But it was gone as soon as she noticed it. 

“How do you know that?” Chloe asked, loosening her grip. 

“Help me beat the monster, and I will leave this town for good. Then, you can do whatever you want with it. No strings attached.” As shady as it seemed, this guy didn’t look like he was joking around, even though he was obviously hiding things. And it seemed like a pretty good deal. She was already fighting monsters, so what the hell. She’d cut him if he tried to pull a fast one on her. 

“Walpurgisnacht, huh?” Chloe said. She released his shirt and took a step back, sizing him up. “Fair enough. I’m not one for team-ups, but I’ll make an exception. Even if I don’t trust you further than I can throw you. Though to be fair, I could throw you  _ real far _ if I wanted to.” 

“You made the right decision,” he said. Then he extended his arm towards her, which she noticed was covered in burn scars. “Rich. Rich Goranski.”

* * *

 

 

“It’s not here anymore,” Squip said to Michael and Jeremy as they stood huddled in the alleyway. “And it’s been gone too long to leave a trail. Looks like you can’t track the familiar from last night.”

“Of course,” Michael said, rolling his eyes. “Nothing’s ever easy, is it? Familiar’s fucking homophobic, I’m telling you.” It was jarring, seeing Michael acting so normal again. After he’d seen a different side of his best friend when he was fighting that girl, Chloe. That Michael was so serious… and terrifying.  _ It had to be a fluke, right? _

“Hey, Michael?” Jeremy said. 

“Yeah?”

“Do you think we’ll run into Chloe again?” Jeremy asked, quietly.

“Probably. With my luck, definitely.” Michael looked relatively unbothered, but then again, he’d always been good at putting on a happy face.

“Do you think you guys could uh… I don’t know. Try to get along? Maybe she can meet Brooke, Christine, and Jenna and-”

“Yeah, no,” Michael said. “Not gonna happen.”

“Okay, so maybe not,” Jeremy said, cringing at the stupidity of his suggestion. “But I just don’t want you guys you know… fighting.”

“Um, did you miss that she was trying to stab me with her big ol’ spear?” Michael asked. 

“You did kind of… provoke her, I guess? I don’t understand why you have to fight at all. You have enough to deal with just from fighting monsters. Why waste your magic on other magical… people?”

“She was trying to kill me! You hear that? Kill! Me!” Michael yelled, his anger finally breaking loose. “And you want me to sit down and sing ‘kumbaya’ with her? Fuck that!” He kicked at the wall of the alley, making Jeremy collapse a bit inside. “And you heard what she was saying. She lets people die so she can get grief seeds. How am I supposed to be civil with someone like that?”

“But you still can work together to fight the monsters so it’s safer!” Jeremy said. “You two should be on the same side… and Rich, too.”

“Fuck that,” Michael said coldly. “Weren’t you even paying attention? He just watched and waited for Jake to die. He let Jake  _ die  _ so he could get that stupid grief seed. He’s a murderer.”

“Maybe he didn’t mean to-” Jeremy stammered.

“I-” Michael stopped short, eyes growing wide and sucking in a breath. “I...wow. Um. God, I don’t know where that came from… I need to chill out…”

Jeremy stepped towards Michael slowly and captured him in a hug, which Michael returned after a second. 

“I just want to keep people safe. If she doesn’t agree, then how is she any better than the monsters? Jake was just the exception.” He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair. 

Letting out a final shaky breath, Michael eased out of the hug and shivered. After a second, he began walking forward again. Jeremy looked down at Squip, heart still pounding.

“He doesn’t stand a chance against either of them,” Squip said. “But of course, if it comes to it-”

“Yeah. I know.”

* * *

 

“This place seems fun,” his mom said, looking around the coffee shop. “You come here with your friends a lot, honey? You have to tell me all about them. I feel so out of the loop!”

He didn’t want to say no to her, his mom had never asked to spend time together one on one like this, but he couldn’t stop himself from flinching as they sat down. He was still haunted by the cold expression on Rich’s face and the snap of the coffee lid in his hands.

“Uh, I guess?” Jeremy said. He folded his hands in his lap.  _ It depends on whether you would call a stalker and a dead kid my “friends”. _

__ “Your father told me you set a goal for yourself to be more confident this year. Have you thought about signing up for the play?” Jeremy frowned, pausing for a moment.  _ Did I tell her about that? Maybe in passing… but there’s no way she was actually listening...Right?  _

“Maybe,” Jeremy said. “I don’t… I don’t know anymore. This past week has been…” He trailed off, not even knowing how to begin. It’s not like he could tell her anything. Not about monsters, not about Jake… 

“You can talk to me about anything, sweetie.” His mom suddenly reached a comforting hand across the table and looked him in the eyes. “Anytime. You can even call me at work.” 

“You’ve never even given me your work number,” Jeremy mumbled out automatically. Then he realized what he’d just said and bit his tongue.  _ What are you doing? Are you trying to make her hate you again? _ He shuddered at the thought of undoing whatever had triggered a sudden change in his mother. Especially since he still wasn’t sure what caused it. She’d just apologized out of nowhere, that same day when Michael… 

_ No, that’s stupid. Why would that make sense? _

“I told you before, sweetheart. I’m a new person now, and I’m going to be here for you.” She giggled to herself for a moment. “That’s me, Mrs.  _ Heere _ for you. But really, I think after seeing that boy go missing from your school it hit me. That so easily could’ve been you and I don’t know what I would’ve done if I lost the chance to let you know how much you mean to me.”

_ He wouldn’t... _

* * *

 

When Jeremy had his hands folded like that, it was a tell-tale sign that he was uncomfortable. But his mom was smiling and looking at him with love that was never there before.

_ So why… _

__ Michael let out a huff and stood up from where he was crouched behind a bush. Had his wish not worked?  _ Or maybe it worked too well and now he doesn’t need me to encourage him anymore. _ Michael considered leaving and going home. All the spying seemed to do was bum him out. Jeremy would talk to him if there was an issue. He always did, so there wasn’t a point to worrying about it now… right?

“Let me guess: you’re realizing you miss the way he’d run to you when he had a problem. Or better yet:  _ you’re _ his problem now.” Michael stiffened and turned to see Chloe there, checking her makeup in a small mirror while blocking his way menacingly. 

“Oh, don’t tell me,” she cooed mockingly. “Did you make your contract for him? You wasted your once-in-a-lifetime miracle on something that stupid? And let me guess...he’s not falling into your arms like you expected?”

“What do you know?” Michael shot back.

“More than you!” she hissed. “Magic is used for yourself. Not for others. If you use it for others, shit always hits the fan before it ever pays off. Didn’t Jake teach you that?” Michael grunted in frustration but didn’t say anything.

“If you want him to  _ love  _ you,” Chloe said, beginning to pace, “aren’t there better ways to do it? After all… you’ve got all this magic now.” She walked up to him and pushed him back mockingly. “I bet he was all sad and emotionally vulnerable after Jake ate it… so why not go in there and kill that bitch yourself? Don’t say she doesn’t have it coming.”

“You-” Michael clenched his fists, seething with anger.

“He’ll need a good friend to rely on in such a trying time, don’t you think? If you’re too chickenshit, I don’t mind doing it for you. It’ll be  _ fun. _ ”

“You’re going down,” Michael growled. “And I’m gonna put my money on the fact that you won’t be able to return the favor.”

“Alright,” Chloe said. “Let’s go somewhere more remote later tonight so I won’t have to hold back. We’re bound to attract attention here.”

* * *

 

Jeremy’s lungs burned as he ran; it felt like every inch of his body was on fire but he couldn’t stop. When Squip had found him at home, warning him that Michael was in trouble, he didn’t think twice. He knew for a fact that if he stopped now, Michael would be dead by the time he got there.

He pulled in a heaving gasp and fell to a stop as he found Chloe and Michael on a bridge, facing one another with steel expressions. Beneath them, a sea of cars roared down the highway, heightening the tension in the air and making Jeremy’s heart pound inexplicably faster. 

“Let’s see what you got,” Chloe said with a smirk. She held out her soul gem and transformed. Michael narrowed his eyes as she summoned her spear and held in out threateningly. He reached into his hoodie pocket and produced his own soul gem. 

“Michael, don’t!”

“Jeremy? What are you doing? Get out of here!” 

“Huh. The annoying idiot sure attracts annoying friends,” Chloe said. 

“What kind of friends do  _ you  _ have then, Chloe?” Chloe turned around and groaned in exasperation when she saw Rich standing there. “I told you to leave Michael alone,” Rich said.

“Your way’s too soft,” Chloe said. “He deserves to get his ass kicked.”

“Then I’ll fight him,” Rich said simply, stepping forward. “You stay out of it.”

“You have until I re-apply my lipstick,” Chloe spat.

“That’s more than enough time.”

“Aw, come on!” Michael yelled.

Jeremy had to do something. There wasn’t time for a moment of hesitation - let alone a better plan - so he didn’t stop to think. He lunged forward in a sprint and snatched the gem from Michael’s hand, chucking it over the side of the bridge in one clean motion, into the sea of whooshing cars below.

Jeremy just barely heard a muttered “Fuck!” under Rich’s breath as he disappeared from sight in a second. 

“Jeremy! How could you?” Michael yelled, running towards Jeremy. “Also… did he just fucking teleport?”

“I’m sorry but I had to!” Jeremy said, still shivering. “You two should be on the same side!” He glanced at Chloe with pleading eyes, but she wouldn’t look at him.

“But you…” Michael trailed off as his expression suddenly shifted, turning completely neutral as his body went stiff. 

“Michael?”

Without warning, Michael began to fall forward and Jeremy had to awkwardly catch him. He pushed his friend away from his chest and saw that his eyes were glazed over, his muscles entirely limp. His entire body was devoid of life.

“You shouldn’t have done that, Jeremy,” Squip said suddenly, shaking his head. “No matter how angry you are, you should never throw your friend away like that.”

“What?” Jeremy said, feeling his heart beginning to thump. “What...what did you say?” Chloe walked over to Jeremy and took Michael in her arms, slapping his cheek to see if she could get a reaction out of him. But… there was just… nothing.

“What the hell…” Chloe said, fear beginning to seep into her tone. “Is he… dead?”

Squip hopped to the ground and padded over to sit on the ground in front of them. The empty smile he always wore never left his face.

“The furthest you magical girls and boys can control your bodies is usually within a radius of one hundred meters,” Squip said. 

“One hundred meters?” Chloe repeated incredulously. “What?”

“You rarely have this kind of accident,” Squip said nonchalantly. “Usually you carry it with you all the time.”

“What are you saying, Squip?” Jeremy screamed through his tears. Chloe had laid Michael down and all Jeremy could do was just stare down at the motionless body. “Stop talking and help us! Don’t let Michael die!”

“That isn’t Michael,” Squip said. “It’s just an empty shell.”

“Just a…”

“Michael is what you threw off the bridge a minute ago.”

“What did you say?” Chloe breathed. Jeremy looked up and saw her hesitantly bringing a hand up to touch her soul gem, embedded in her chest. 

“Did you really think you could fight monsters with those breakable human bodies?” Squip said. “It’s unthinkable. Your real bodies are your souls, which can store magic more efficiently. When you make a contract, I remove your soul from your body and change it into a soul gem so it’s easier to protect.”

“Bastard…” Chloe mumbled, advancing on Squip, spear in hand. “What have you done to us? Did you turn us into… zombies or something?”

“But isn’t it handy this way?” Squip said, seemingly unbothered. “Even if your body’s heart gets ripped to shreds or you bleed out your last drop of blood, you can just heal your bodies with magic and get right back up! As long as your soul gem is unharmed, you’re basically invincible.”

“That’s horrible…” Jeremy whimpered out. His tears were forming a small pool on Michael’s hoodie. Jeremy wheezed through his sobs. He had done this. He was an idiot and ended up throwing Michael’s...his  _ soul _ … of the bridge. He had killed his own best friend. Jeremy’s thoughts were drowned out by the sounds of his own sobs. 

After a second, Jeremy saw a hand placing Michael’s soul gem back in his outstretched hand. Jeremy looked up and saw Rich there, a solemn expression on his face. Chloe ran over to where they were gathered, looking over Michael with concern. 

After a few seconds, Michael stirred. Jeremy rubbed at his eyes with trembling hands. He couldn’t tell if this was just another scene in the nightmare that this evening had been, or if he was finally waking up.

“What?” Michael asked, blinking drowsily. “What are you guys looking at?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More to come! I’m posting this in 3-chapter spurts


	7. Can I Be Frank With You?

Michael hugged the pillow closer to his chest. He didn’t feel sad. He didn’t even really feel angry. He just felt… empty.  _ I guess I am empty. Just a shell of a person.  _ He flexed his fingers, concentrating on the way it felt to move his body, to be in control. He could feel the texture of his bedspread and move each finger around with dexterity. It felt the same, but knowing that it wasn’t really him… he shuddered and buried his face again, hoping to bury those thoughts along with it.  _ You’re not going to cry. You’re not going to fucking cry. You did this to yourself, stupid. _

Michael heard some soft, tiny feet from across the room, and he was almost relieved he could finally  _ feel  _ something. Anger. Betrayal. 

“You tricked us,” he growled, not even turning to look at Squip. 

“I did no such thing,” Squip said. 

“Yes, you did,” Michael said, now squeezing the pillow tighter and tighter, imagining that he was squeezing the life out of Squip. “Why didn’t you tell us?”

“You never asked.”

Michael sat up and chucked the pillow at Squip, staring blankly at the wall, all the while clenching and unclenching his fists.  _ I’m in control. I’m in control. This is my body. I’m still me...right?  _

“Even if you didn’t know, there wouldn’t have been any inconvenience,” Squip continued, jumping up onto Michael’s desk, those haunting red eyes boring into him. “Jake never noticed, for example. It’s because humans don’t physically sense their souls.” Michael stood up and walked over to Squip, now seething.

“Make no mistake,” Squip continued. “I did this for your benefit. With your soul separated, you can protect it. By removing it, I’m helping you fight more effectively.”

“Well, I didn’t ask you to ‘help’!” Michael snapped. He advanced on Squip, grabbing for him. But he missed and Squip just hopped out of the way. 

“You really don’t understand, do you?” Squip said, cocking his head. “Let’s say you’ve been impaled by a spear. How much pain do you think you could take before you simply went into shock?”

Michael’s eyes widened as he remembered Chloe’s spear hitting him straight in the chest, leaving a huge bloody gash. How he was able to brush it off and keep fighting as if it were a scratch. He had chalked it up to adrenaline but...he had hardly felt it. 

Squip walked over to where Michael’s soul gem was lying on the desk and pressed a paw onto it. Michael had to hold back a scream as he wrapped his arms around his stomach, tears poking out of the corners of his eyes as tried to contain his agony. It felt like he was burning from the inside out. Like there was a black hole opening up inside of him, tearing him to bits little by little. He finally couldn’t contain himself and cried out, falling to the ground and curling into a ball, wishing for something,  _ anything  _ to help him escape the pain. 

“This is what  _ real  _ pain feels like,” Squip said. “See? You’d be totally incapacitated in just one hit. The only reason you were able to fight with Chloe is because you were spared the full extent of your body’s pain. You should be grateful that your mind and body are no longer connected.” The pain finally  _ finally  _ subsided as Squip lifted his paw off the soul gem. Michael was still shuddering as he eased himself into a sitting position, silently sobbing at the unfairness of it all. 

“If you concentrate,” Squip said, “you can learn to block out  _ all _ of your body’s pain. That said, it causes your body to respond slower when you command it to move, so I don’t recommend it.”

“Why…” Michael breathed out as he watched his tears stain the carpet. “Why would you do this to us?”

“Because I seem to remember granting you a miracle,” Squip said.

 

* * *

 

Michael wasn’t at school. Jeremy wanted to text him, but he didn’t know what to say. What could he possibly say to make Michael feel better? He’d stop by after school… the last thing Michael needed was to be alone with his thoughts. Jeremy felt disgusted with himself for even going to school, for even trying to maintain an air of normalcy. 

When lunch came, he didn’t want to sit with his friends. After all, why should they have to deal with him if he broke down? So, he walked behind the school to sit and think. He rested his head against the cool brick of the school and tried to focus on the gentle wind toying with his tufts of soft hair and sneaking in under his sweater to make him shiver.  _ If Michael were here with me, maybe he’d realize that he can still feel things. Even little things like that.  _

“What are you doing back here all alone, tall-ass?” Jeremy’s eyes snapped open. Rich was standing next to him. As always, his face was blank. After a few seconds of silence, Rich sat down next to Jeremy, staring at the athletic fields coldly without saying a word.

“Did you know?” Jeremy asked eventually. Rich nodded slowly, his faraway gaze never faltering. “Then why didn’t you say anything?” 

“I’ve tried to tell people before,” Rich said. “It’s never ended well. Either they don’t believe me, or that knowledge leads them to self-destruction.” Jeremy gaped at Rich. For a second, there was a sort of sadness in his eyes. Regret. Terror. He couldn’t help but wonder what awful things Rich had seen… what he’d endured that was so awful that he was this dead set on keeping anyone else from making a contract. 

“Why would Squip do something so cruel to us?” Jeremy asked. 

“It doesn’t think of it as cruel,” Rich said simply. “It’s a creature that doesn’t understand the value of human life. It’s like a computer. No empathy. No emotions.” Rich finally turned to look at Jeremy. “It insists that a soul is simply payment for the wish.” 

“But it’s not fair!” Jeremy said, cursing himself when he heard his voice break.  _ Keep it together.  _ “That’s not a fair trade at all!” 

“Maybe not for a stupid wish,” Rich spat out. “But some wishes are worth more than a life. If Michael didn’t get a fair trade, than it’s his own fault for using his wish on you.”

“He… what?” Jeremy’s breath caught for a second.

“Don’t act so surprised,” Rich said. “I’m sure you’ve begun to suspect as much. People don’t change overnight like that. Michael used his wish to give you the mother you’ve always wanted. If he’d wished for something more worthwhile, something as trivial as the placement of his soul wouldn’t matter to him.” Whatever Rich wished for must have been really important to him because he didn’t seem to be that disturbed about the whole “soul stealing” business. Though, Jeremy supposed Rich didn’t look like he was disturbed by anything. He was a hardened veteran it seemed, in a different way than Jake had been. Would Michael turn that cold too? And for what? To give Jeremy something he never even asked for?

“Is there any way for Michael to… undo it? To set things right? I mean, could I-”

“What did I tell you before?” Rich interrupted him, anger seeping into his words. “Michael is as good as dead. You’ll save yourself a lot of grief if you just give up on him now.”

Jeremy felt a warmth on his cheeks and realized he was crying. He didn’t know how long ago he had started but he couldn’t stop now.

“You don’t know him. You just moved here a couple weeks ago. You don’t know what he’s capable of,” Jeremy clenched his fists. “And he’s my best friend. He was just trying to make me happy with that wish. What kind of thanks would it be to just give up and let him die because of me? He even saved me from a monster!”

“I wouldn’t have let you die,” Rich said. “And you shouldn’t confuse gratitude with responsibility. Michael’s decisions are his business, and they will be his downfall.”

“Well, if you’re so sure he can’t take care of himself, then why don’t you just help him? I know you’re strong enough. I thought magical boys were supposed to protect people, but you’re going to let my best friend die because you’re being selfish.” 

“I don’t protect people,” Rich spat. “Anyone who thinks they can save everyone is delusional. And that includes your friend.” 

Jeremy turned around and punched the brick wall. Distantly, he could feel the hard surface tearing away the skin of his knuckles, but he didn’t care. It was nothing compared to the deep-set pain eating away at his insides.

“Why are you such an asshole?” Jeremy choked out, not even bothering to wipe his never-ending tears.

Rich picked up Jeremy’s hand, blood trickling down his fingers to pool in his palm. His touch was so much softer than anyone would expect. His skin was a whisper against Jeremy’s hand. Jeremy saw Rich’s soul gem, hanging out of his jean pocket, begin to glow softly. Rich’s fingertips brushed over his battered knuckles with a certain confidence like it was a path he’d walked many times before - so much so that he could almost feel of flicker of familiarity stirring in his heart. Then Rich pulled away, leaving only a ghost of a touch where his fingers had just been. Jeremy looked down and the blood was gone, his knuckles smooth and soft again.

“Maybe it’s because I’m not human anymore,” Rich said. Then he stood up, turned the corner, and left Jeremy alone again.

 

* * *

 

_ Stupid Squip. Stupid contract. Stupid  _ bitch-ass  _ Squip. Stupid Jeremy.  _ Michael couldn’t remember how long it had been since he’d put his glasses on. Maybe it was stupid, but if he was supposed to live as a zombie until his inevitable death, he didn’t want to look at everything he had thrown away on such a ridiculous impulse. It didn’t feel right for everything to look the same if they’d never really be the same again if he’d never  _ feel _ the same way again. 

He pulled his hand out from under his pillow, fingers clasped tight over the too-smooth surface of his soul gem. This was the one thing that was worse to look at without his glasses - its red glow a beacon in the blur that was his old life, taunting him with the way it danced and flickered.  _ Here is everything you are, _ it called, giggling in the dim twilight that snuck through his tightly shut blinds,  _ Look how easy it would be to snuff you out, just like that! _ It dimmed for a split second, then sprung back to life.

Michael shut his eyes and laid back on the pillow, stuffing the ornament back in his sweatshirt pocket. He was vaguely aware of how the grease was starting to build up in his hair, his undershirt constantly damp with his own sweat and oils.

_ Not ME.  _ He corrected himself. It didn’t matter if he hadn’t showered in days, he’d only be washing this useless vessel. It was just going to get dirty again, just like his life force would drain from the soul gem over and over until the monsters finally got the better of him.

Michael couldn’t even connect the dots to why he’d even taken the contract in the first place. It sure as shit hadn’t been for his own benefit, and fucking Jeremy only seemed more miserable - and worse, distant - than ever. Best of all, he’d planted a bright red bullseye on the back of that goddamn cape for Chloe to use as target practice in her quest to let innocent people die for her own benefit.  _ Might as well have just offed myself, it would’ve been so much faster.  _

_ Do you plan on moping until your soul gem goes dark?  _ A snide voice rang out in his head. Great. Right on time, Chloe was here to finish him off. 

_ Actually, this is the beginning of a four-step plan of misery. _

He dragged himself out of bed and peered out the window to see Chloe standing outside his house, untransformed. She was the most dressed down he’d ever seen her. A soft purple hoodie was draped over her torso, hiding all the feminine curves her magical girl outfit so effortlessly flaunted. As far as he could tell, there wasn’t even any makeup detectable on her face.

_ Come on. I wanna show you something. Don’t make me take you with force.  _

_ That’s what he said. _

_ Just get down here. Your moping isn’t doing you any favors and it’s really pathetic to look at.  _

Michael considered just climbing back into bed and waiting until she got bored and left, but in all honesty, what did he have to lose at this point? With one last glance into his pocket to ensure he still had his soul gem - scratch that, his literal soul - and headed down the stairs.

His glasses still lay behind him on his bedside table, smudged and unfolded.

 

* * *

 

“So I bet you’re really regretting this, huh?” Chloe said as they walked. Michael scoffed and buried his hands into his hoodie pockets. She didn’t need to rub their shitty situation in his face. It was bad enough to be out among all the normal people, milling around in the comfortable naivete of their everyday lives.  _ God, when did I get so damn cynical?  _ “I’m just rolling with it, honestly,” Chloe continued. “People always focus on my outer appearance anyway. Like, yeah, it sucks. But I’m not going to be a whiny bitch about it. Besides, my power is the reason I get to live how I want. You get what you pay for.” Michael squinted up at her, trying to glare her blurry form out of existence so she would just leave him alone. 

“So, what?” Michael said. 

“So, if you only live for yourself, then everything that happens to you, good or bad, is your own fault. So I always feel in control.” She kept walking ahead of him, out of the city and into a forlorn patch of land that looked entirely barren.

“I have to be honest, I have no idea what you’re doing at this point. We’re headed into the approximate middle of nowhere and you haven’t even tried to stab me. Are you looking for prime body stashing real estate or something? Because I honestly wouldn’t look out of place in a McDonald’s dumpster,” Michael snorted. He was aware that he was likely getting under her skin, but it was better than letting her know that she had somehow managed to increase his sense of impending doom.

“We’re here.” Chloe stopped short and ignored his comment. 

Michael followed her gaze, confusion mounting higher than ever. It was… a campsite?  _ No, a campsite would look nicer than this.  _ He took in the dull brown siding of the mobile home, the windows patched over with duct tape, and the deflated soccer ball forgotten under the crumbling corner of the structure.

“What the hell  _ is _ this place?”

Chloe approached and kicked open the door without answering. She stepped inside and gestured for Michael to follow. The interior was even worse than he’d been able to gather from outside. The moonlight seeped in through the empty spaces between the frame of the kitchen windowsill, highlighting the ivy that was starting to crawl in the corner and the built-up grime on the washed-out tabletop. To his left was the living room, where smoke stained the peeling paint of the ceiling and the sofa had begun to collapse under the weight of decades’ worth of use.

Michael was nervous to touch a single surface in the house, every corner was either too dark to make out or visibly coated in dust and debris and god knows what else. Chloe, on the other hand, gazed at each room with a sad familiarity in her eyes, letting her hands drift comfortably along the walls as if clasping the hand of an old friend.

Against his better judgment, he did his best to crack another joke. “I get it now, it’s a metaphor. This house is me: broken and devoid of love. Cool.”

Michael turned his attention to the counter to avoid Chloe’s icy glare, tucking his hand into his sleeve so he could brush off a spot on its surface without catching some obscure disease.  _ Is swine flu still a thing?  _ The caked-on dust fell to the floor in a curtain, and when he was satisfied, he hopped onto the counter and met Chloe’s eyes again.

“This is where the love of my life grew up.” She spoke in a soft voice, almost a whisper. It seemed so unlike her to be so quiet and vulnerable.

“Where is she now?”

Chloe gave a short, humorless laugh. “Way to assume, jackass.”

For once in his life, Michael shut his mouth and waited for her to continue.

“To be honest, I don’t know where she is.”

“Called it,” Michael smirked.

“I don’t  _ have _ to tell you any of this.”

Michael raised his hands in defeat, and she let out a resigned sigh.

“Growing up, there was this pretty blonde girl who was always in my class. She always had different friends from me, so I didn’t talk to her for the first few years of school, but I was always…  _ aware _ of her. She just had such a bright presence, it drew me in from the moment I saw her.” Even in the darkness, Michael could see her eyes sparkling as she relived the memory. In the back of his head, he could feel a familiar image starting to stir: a gap-toothed smile under a sprinkling of freckles topped off with a mop of bouncy, unkempt curls. He shook his head and forced himself to focus on her words.

“Third grade, her friends wound up in a different class. She looked so sad and alone on that first day, so I did what I had been wanting to do for years: I introduced myself. Her smile was enough to let me know that from that day on, she’d be the best friend I’d ever had. A few months went by, and she finally brought me here to play for the first time. I… noticed a lot more things about her then, things I couldn’t see until I got up close. Her clothes were always torn or snagged, and she rarely brought enough food in her lunch box.” Chloe’s expression turned unreadable, and she leaned against the table, even though it wobbled slightly under her weight.

“Even if her family was barely scraping by, her smile was always so bright. It was nothing compared to her voice, though. Any time she opened her mouth to sing, it was like the whole world stopped to listen. It didn’t matter if she was hungry or didn’t have the nicest clothes, everything about her was so beautiful and inviting. I did what I could to help her out - granted, that wasn’t much - but things only got worse as we moved on to high school. As soon as she was old enough, she had to get a shitty minimum wage job to help her family out. She didn’t have time to do her homework, let alone do things she really wanted… like, join the choir, or audition for the musical. I stopped hearing her sing, which was worrying enough, but the last straw was when I noticed her smile beginning to fade.”

There was the slightest quiver in Chloe’s voice, and Michael had to fight back the image of Jeremy after visiting his mom. He could almost feel the weight of him crying in his arms again as he registered the heartbreak in Chloe’s eyes.

“You know what that’s like, don’t you. To see your friend suffering? To feel helpless to stop it?”

Michael averted his gaze. After a minute, Chloe sighed and continued.

“That was when Squip found me. I was so desperate to see that smile again, the way it used to be, that I didn’t really have to think when he asked me for my wish. I probably could’ve worded it better, but I was just a kid… I still am. I wished her family wasn’t struggling so that she could find the time to sing again, and so that I could see her smile.”

When Michael looked up, he caught sight of her hands trembling for a split second before she gripped the table to steady herself. At this point, he could hardly keep himself upright. The feelings she was describing felt too raw, too familiar.

“Of course, the first thing they did was move out of this dump. Nobody in their right mind would raise a family here, given the choice. The last time I saw her was just before they drove off. She beamed at me one more time, and I’m willing to bet that’s the moment Squip counted my wish as granted. Then she took my hands, thanked me for being her friend through everything, and kissed me.” She raised one hand and brushed her fingertips over her bottom lip, as if she could still feel the girl there, smiling. “It was only a few months before she stopped calling. Last I heard, she was taking a trip out to California, something about an audition. She never called back to tell me how it went.”

Michael bit his lip. Truthfully, he had no idea what he would’ve done if his wish had sent Jeremy away from him like that. But it was probably worse that he was nearby and still not happy. His wish… and his life, were essentially wasted.

“Why would you tell me this now? I already made the one wish that could possibly be stupider than infinite chili fries. It’s not like I can go back and change that now,” Michael spat. He wanted so badly to be bitter and angry with her, but he just felt empty.

“Because you need to learn from your dumbass move and stop caring so much. It’ll only hurt you even more.”

“If you just live for yourself, why bother helping me?” Michael asked. He didn’t trust her. Not for a second. 

“Because we both started off with the same mistake. You get what you pay for, right? You can bounce back like I did if you just start getting your money’s worth. You already paid way too high a price for your miracle.” Somewhere deep within him, he felt a fire light up. It was just the tiniest spark, but it was exactly what he needed. 

“I misjudged you,” Michael admitted. “I guess we’re just a pair of stupid gays, huh?” He let out a sigh, his gaze hardening. “But you’re wrong. I don’t regret making my wish for Jeremy. And if it was for him, then I don’t think I paid too high a price. Besides, I can save lives with this power. Which seems to be something  _ you’re  _ not interested in. No wonder you didn’t get the girl. You don’t deserve it.” The flames began to lick up throughout his body, higher and higher, melting down the numbnesses that had taken over. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught the glint of his soul gem, gleaming from his pocket.

“If you have a problem with that, you can always come find me..” He let his voice fall, almost into a growl. “I won’t lose to you again.”

As Michael turned and walked to the door, he heard Chloe kick the table behind her in frustration, and it fell to the ground in a useless heap. 

 

* * *

 

Jeremy gently closed his front door and walked out to the sidewalk to wait for his friends, sighing as he heard his mother call “Have a good day!” from inside the house.  _ It’s not real. She could never really love me. I’m too pathetic. Too useless. _

“Hey, dumbass!” A chipper voice cut into Jeremy’s thoughts. He looked up and saw Jenna, Christine, Brooke… and Michael. Michael was there, and he was beaming at Jeremy, eyes bright again. 

“Don’t call Jeremy a dumbass,” Jenna said. “You’re the one who forgot your glasses.” Jeremy didn’t care that his friends were watching. He leapt at Michael and captured him in a tight embrace, shaking slightly as he gripped the fabric of his best friend’s hoodie as if it were his only lifeline. 

“Come on, dork,” Michael said, laughing good-naturedly as he returned the hug. “I was only out of school for two days. No biggie.”

“I know, but you-”

_ I’m okay now. It took me a bit, but I’m going to be fine.  _

_...right. Yeah….sorry. _

Jeremy let go of Michael and backed away, tucking his hands in his sweaters pockets and falling behind Brooke and Christine as they all started to walk together. He had a feeling that Michael kept trying to make eye contact, but he kept his gaze permanently fixed on his converse as they walked to school. 

 

* * *

 

Michael didn’t really know what to make of the situation. Christine was his friend, yes, and was possibly the sweetest person in the universe, but the two of them had never hung out without the rest of the group or at least one other member. So, the fact that she had requested that the two of them ( _ just _ the two of them, she insisted) meet for coffee after school was… odd, at best. And it was concerning at worst. She had a look on her face that she wanted to  _ talk  _ about something, and Michael had had more than his fair share of serious talks in the past week.

“So, um…” Michael started awkwardly, stirring the ice in the bottom on his drink with his straw. “I heard  _ Cats _ is back on Broadway. What’s going on there, am I right?”

“Michael…” she said after a bit, looking like she was choosing her words very carefully. The way she was pausing was another red flag - Christine typically said whatever was on her mind. “I… well… can I be frank with you?”

Michael nodded slowly, his hand going completely still. Christine, though a little blurry-looking, radiated intensity. Whatever she was going to say, it was sure to be important. 

“You need to tell Jeremy how you feel.”

Christine might as well have slapped him. 

“Heh… heh… what?” 

“I’ve had a hunch for a while now, but ever since that new kid showed up…” Christine paused and bit her lip. “I’m just worried about you, Michael. You’ve been acting weird and now you’re skipping school? It’s okay to feel that way for him... I know how hard that can be, believe me, but I hate how much it’s affecting you. I don’t like how you’re letting yourself suffer over him, and I think you would both feel better if you just  _ told _ him.”

“Told him  _ what,  _ exactly?” Michael said, tapping his fingertips against the cool surface of the table. “You have no idea what you’re talking about, Christine. Jeremy and I are just friends.”

“You’re not fooling me, Michael. I’ve seen the way you look at him when he’s not paying attention. And don’t think I haven’t noticed the tension between you two recently… it breaks my heart. I really think honesty is what your friendship needs. He really cares for you… have you ever thought that he might feel the same way?”

“Okay,” Michael said, narrowing his eyes. “If it’s so easy, then why are you hiding behind those stupid love letters?”

“They’re not stupid!” Christine went bright red and nearly knocked her drink over.

“If it’s  _ soooo  _ great to tell your friend that you love them, then why haven’t you done it, huh? Almost like it’s some scary, potentially life-ruining shit that should be avoided at all costs!”

“I  _ am  _ going to tell her,” Christine said, sitting up straighter and smoothing out her jacket sleeves. “Like, for real. And to be fair, telling her anonymously is better than not saying anything, even if she doesn’t know who I am. Don’t you think Jeremy would want to know that he’s loved?” 

Michael didn’t say anything. Christine was giving him way too much credit. Maybe if he wasn’t so horribly aware of how cruel the world could be, he’d be that optimistic too. If his wish, the thing he’d basically traded his  _ life _ for, couldn’t tell him if Jeremy felt the same, then there was no reason to believe he ever could.

“I’m telling Brooke after school tomorrow,” Christine said. “I think you should tell Jeremy by then too. It might make things better between you two. You shouldn’t have to keep something like this from him. Even if he doesn’t feel the same, then that’s the first step in working your way towards moving on. Either way, Jeremy will understand your behavior a little better, and you won’t be stuck with this any longer. It’s a win-win, right?” She offered him a gentle smile and cautiously reached across the table for his hands. 

He gave his hands to Christine but his mind was elsewhere. Christine was giving him advice, but it felt like a deadline. She was offering him solidarity but it felt like she was threatening him.  _ She knows that I love him. If I don’t do what she says, she could tell him. She could tell everyone. _

“I ...uh, yeah. Noted.” He pulled away from her, clenching his fingers onto the material of the booth, focusing on the pressure, the texture.  _ You’re okay. You’re going to be okay. Christine is your friend: she doesn’t know that you’ve become this...thing.  _

“I’ll see you tomorrow, then,” Christine said with a small smile. She stood up and patted his shoulder affectionately as she passed. 

_ Tomorrow. _

 

 

* * *

 

Jeremy caught Michael as he was leaving his house, presumably to go fight monsters. He had a solemn look in his eyes. All the life that had seemingly been rekindled at school was nowhere to be found. After summoning what bits of courage he could find, Jeremy stepped into view and blocked Michael’s way.

“Can I come along?” Jeremy asked earnestly. “You’re going monster hunting, right?” Michael didn’t answer. He just sort of stared at Jeremy, his expression unreadable. “I don’t want you to be alone… I want to support you.” Michael stuffed his hands into his hoodie pocket and looked away. 

“Is that your way of offering to carry me there?” he asked shakily, trying to laugh. “I would usually accept, but I don’t deserve it right now…” He sighed. “Listen...We both know I’m being an asshole. And just earlier, for a second, I almost regretted something. I almost had the thought that I should never have…” Michael didn’t finish, but his words still hit Jeremy like a speeding train. He wasn’t going to make an issue of it, he really  _ wasn’t _ planning on it. But the last of his apology snapped what little patience Jeremy had left like a matchstick.

“You regret using your wish for me, right?” Jeremy said. “To change my mom? Well, maybe you should. I never asked for you to do that! And Jake  _ told you _ it was bad to use wishes for other people!”

Whether or not Jeremy had asked for Michael’s sacrifice, it wasn’t fair to make that decision for him. It wasn’t fair for his best friend to trade his own life for this new, robotic shell of a mother for Jeremy. Sure, she would spend time with him and care when he was hurt, but it was all an act. It wasn’t  _ really _ his mom. His real mom may as well have died in the hospital.

He could’ve taken all that. It would’ve sucked if Michael had used his wish for that, become a magical boy, and lived the life he thought he was signing up for. At least then Jeremy could grin and bear it -- this was no worse than being ignored all the time, and then he could look on with pride as Michael became the hero he wanted to be. But to know that his  _ best _ friend had thrown away his life on such a pointless gift for him, only to find he wasn’t any stronger than before… He’d been so stupid. Michael had every reason not to make that choice, and he was going to die because of it. He had  _ chosen _ to leave Jeremy behind to watch him fall.

“Well, I had to do something!” Michael shot back. “She was awful to you. And you said it yourself, there wasn’t anything I could do to make it better when I was just your friend… but I did make it better. I don’t care that I’m fighting for you. I’m making these sacrifices for your sake -- you didn’t need to ask me.”

“But it’s not what I want!” Jeremy said. “I just wanted you to be my friend! And now, I want you to be safe! Why would something like that be worth giving your soul for?”

“Because I love you, Jeremy!” Michael shouted earnestly, tears beginning to stream. After a second, he paled and took a step back, face freezing in horror.

_ What… what did he just say? He wouldn’t react that way unless he meant it like...oh. Oh, Michael… _

“Michael...I…” Jeremy looked down at the ground, cringing. He wiped his tears away and took a gentle step towards Michael. How was he supposed to say this in a way that wouldn’t start another fight? “...I’m sorry,” he said. “I don’t… I mean you’re my best friend, but I just...I don’t…” Jeremy couldn’t get the words out. Michael was already suffering enough, so why would he tell Jeremy something like that?

“Of course, you don’t,” Michael mumbled. “Of course. I’m so stupid.”

“Michael, please-”

“I mean how could anyone love me now that I’ve become this  _ thing? _ ” Michael broke out in sobs, stepping back until his back was flat against the side of his house. “It’s like I’m already dead…” He slid down the wall, still sobbing, until he was sitting on the ground, his face buried in his knees. “I couldn’t ask you to hold me when I have a body like this. I couldn’t ask you to kiss me…” 

Jeremy bolted over and sat next to Michael, leaning into him as he cried out. He cried for a while, and Jeremy felt more useless than ever. The sun had set by the time Jeremy looked up again, leaving the two of them shivering for warmth. Jeremy snaked a comforting arm around his best friend, but Michael pushed it away gently, finally bringing his tear-stained face up to look at him.

He let out a watery giggle that didn’t quite manage to manifest into a smile. “H-hey… at least my dick still works… My life is literally an out of body experience, but I can still fuck…”

Jeremy wanted to laugh, give some kind of reassurance, but he was exhausted. He couldn’t smile, even if he tried.

Michael forced another laugh and looked at Jeremy with pleading eyes. “Come on, you’re not even going for the obvious joke? Please… just pretend everything is normal and ask how I’d know that if I’m a virgin. Pretend you’re grossed out by the idea that I masturbate… Something…”

Jeremy broke eye contact and looked down at the ground. “I can’t just pretend when any day could be the day I have to watch you die.” Michael’s face had gone blank, no traces of even a fake smile. He felt a growing, terrifying numbness just looking at him.

“That’s why we’re going out at night!” Michael chuckled. It sounded forced and fake. “Let’s… get going. If you want.” Jeremy nodded and stood up. When they began to walk downtown, Michael walked a few paces in front on him. And neither of them said a word.

 

* * *

 

Chloe watched the glowing wall that housed the labyrinth with intensity, checking her reflection out of habit every few minutes. If she listened hard enough, she could hear sounds of struggle from inside. She wasn’t really sure why she was there, watching Michael fight.  _ I should just go home. If he dies, then I get this city. Why should I care? I don’t care.  _

She was startled out of her thoughts by the sound of feet landing behind her. When her eyes flickered back to take in the visitor, she was unsurprised to see it was that freak, Rich. 

“It’s not like you to stand by and watch like this,” he commented blankly. “Are you worried about him or something? I hate to break it to you, but that doesn’t fit with the whole ‘Stone Cold Bitch’ routine you have going.”

“What’s it to you?” Chloe snapped. “It’s just gay solidarity. You wouldn’t understand.” Rich didn’t respond to that, so Chloe turned back to continue watching. After a second, she heard Michael cry out in pain from inside. She stood up immediately, panicked.

“Idiot! How long is it going to take him to finish that thing?” Chloe blurted. She stuffed her compact mirror into her pocket and transformed, leaping down to the street to enter the labyrinth. “I’m gonna have to take care of this, won’t I...” she mumbled to herself, summoning her spear. As she stepped through to the black and white landscape of the labyrinth, she saw Rich turn to leave behind her. 

“Do me a solid,” he said. “Don’t die.”

Jeremy was standing near the entrance, shaking uncontrollably as the monster, an amorphous form with limbs that stretched out like tree branches, thrashed Michael around. Without a second thought, she leaped at the monster, using her spear to cut off the limb that was grasping Michael. It fell uselessly to the ground, spewing blood that seemed to shine in the darkness of the labyrinth. Michael dropped to his knees on the marble floor. He seemed to be badly hurt. 

“For fuck’s sake, I can’t watch this anymore,” she groaned, standing in front of him protectively and spinning her weapon with a flourish, waiting for the monster’s next attack. “Just get back. I’ll take care of it.” But Michael didn’t stand back. Instead, he got up into a running stance, summoning a katana and growling.

“ I can do this alone.” Then he rushed forward at it, to the heart of the monster, which took the form of a teenage girl and chopped off her head in one motion. Blood splattered everywhere, coating Michael’s cape with blood. But it wasn’t dead yet. It gave a roar, sending out more limbs to grab Michael, to rip him apart or tear into his flesh. They grabbed Michael, but he didn’t cry out. Chloe’s eyes widened as she saw there was something...different about Michael’s stance. He moved slower, his arms hanging as though he was barely controlling them at all. With every step, his feet landed heavily, too heavily, and the ground trembled below them. Chloe blinked, and suddenly she saw the monster attacking with a deadly limb, aimed right for Michael’s heart. 

“Michael!” Jeremy screamed from behind. Chloe ran forward to try to push him out of the way, but the pointed end of the limb tore right through Michael’s chest, causing him to flail a bit as the other end came through his back.  _ No...NO. _

But Michael simply severed the limb with a confident sweep of his sword and kept advancing, as if there weren’t a gaping hole in his chest, gushing blood. When he got to it once more, he swiped at it again, and this time, his attack seemed to do it in. But Michael just kept on attacking it, bringing his weapon down on the limp form again and again as if it were a hammer rather than a blade. She felt the monster’s blood splattering onto her face, a morbid rain over the already grim scene, but Chloe was too petrified to move.

“It was true…” Michael said with a deranged laugh as he hit the monster’s dying body again and again with his sword as the hole in his chest crept inward, slowly knitting itself back together with the glow of his soul gem. “If I just detach myself, I can’t feel any pain!” 

“Stop…” Chloe heard Jeremy’s weak voice behind her, voicing what she was too afraid to. “Please...please, stop.”


	8. I Was Stupid...So Stupid

The distorted screams of the monster rang weakly through the labyrinth as Michael brought his sword down on its dissolving form over and over until every particle was gone and the hollow ring of metal against brick reverberated in Chloe’s ears. She took a careful half-step forward, then ran, practically floated, to his side and rested a hand on his wrist as he tried to bring it up once more. She barely applied force beyond the weight of her arm, but it was more than enough to stop the jerky cycle of motion.

“It’s easy once you know how to do it. Maybe that’s why people try heroin,” Michael said with a chuckle. Then he turned to face Chloe, an unhinged look on his face. “And this way, you can never hope to beat me.” The rattling scrape of his sword dragging along the ground felt as if it were grinding against her skull as he staggered towards the grief seed and crouched to collect it in trembling hands. Chloe eyed him warily as he stood up and tossed it over to her. She caught it in one hand and scoffed.

“What’s this for?”

“It’s a gift,” Michael said with a smirk. His eyes had lost their unnatural luster, and he winced for a second, probably reconnecting this his body’s remnants of pain. “Aren’t you gonna say ‘thank you’? It’s the only reason why you’re here, after all.”

“You-”

“I don’t owe you anything now. Thanks for the trailer park storytime, but I’m clearly doing fine on my own. Come on, Jeremy.” Jeremy shakily walked over to Michael, glancing back at Chloe. Michael took a step forward, but his stance was unbalanced and he fell forward in exhaustion, his transformation dropping. Jeremy instinctively caught his friend, pulling him in close with a panicked desperation.

“Sorry…” she heard Michael mumble into Jeremy’s shoulder. “I’m just a little tired.”

“Don’t push yourself,” Jeremy responded, just loud enough for Chloe to hear. “I’ve got you.”

Chloe’s fist tightened around the grief seed as she watched the pair of boys walk away, the majority of Michael’s weight falling on Jeremy with every step.

_ That idiot… _

 

* * *

 

He and Jeremy had walked at least a mile from the site of the labyrinth before Michael noticed the chill setting into his skin and the progression of dusk over their heads. If he tuned out the sound of his own stuttered breathing, he could almost pretend this was a normal day. Like he’d just roughed up some bullies trying to take Jeremy’s lunch money, and now they were headed home. Maybe he was bruised and battered, but he’d done something good for once, and he’d be okay.

But instead of a black eye and skinned knees, he just felt the deep ache of fatigue through every inch of his body. Actually, it was less integrated through his body, and instead, the feeling just rattled around in the hollow shell that held him inside. The realization made him lose track of his footing, and he stumbled for a moment, right into Jeremy’s waiting arms.

“Hey, Michael?” Jeremy asked quietly. “Can we… sit down for a moment?”

“You getting tired?” Michael asked. Jeremy shook his head.

“I think you need to pace yourself. You nearly fainted earlier and you… you really don’t look so good.” Not wanting Jeremy to worry, Michael nodded and they veered off course to a small bench and sat down. It should have been a relief… but Michael still felt exhausted. 

“You shouldn’t fight like that, Michael,” Jeremy said after a minute. “Even if it blocked out all the pain...like you said...it really scared me.” 

Michael’s mind rushed as it pulled up the hazy memory. The sword coming down on the monster, over and over…

He didn’t know that person. That person was angry… detached… inhuman. 

_ But I’m not human either, am I? _ No wonder Jeremy was scared. Ever since he’d learned the truth, he’d felt detached. Not just from his former body -- from everything. Even, apparently himself.  _ Fighting like that makes me lose control  _ he thought.  _ But what other choice do I have? _

Jeremy’s breath hitched like he was about to cry. Michael couldn’t stand how that was his solution, how he just kept crying like his tears could change anything. Michael’s hand shook as he felt another wave of emotion overtake his brain and drown out all rational thoughts. 

“If I don’t fight like that, I can’t win,” Michael said sharply. “Because I don’t have any ‘natural magic potential’ or whatever.”

“But when you were fighting like that…” Jeremy’s voice was quivering. “...it was like I couldn’t even recognize you. It’s not good for you.”

“Not good for me?” Michael repeated. He angrily reached into his pocket and produced his soul gem, holding it out for Jeremy to see. “How can anything be good for me when my body’s like this, huh? I have to fight now. I have to win. If I don’t fight monsters I’m leaving everyone -- people I care about -- defenseless. Do you honestly think I could just let that shit go? Like  _ Chloe _ ?” Michael took a shaky breath and turned away, laughing humorlessly to himself. “And why should you care about my mental state anyway? Don’t you get it? I’m a walking, talking corpse, just pretending it's alive. All of this?” He motioned to his body with a quick sweep from head to toe, “Is an illusion. What kind of “good” could I be to anyone now unless I fight?”

“I just want you to be safe again,” Jeremy whispered. “And happy.”

“Then you fight them.” He wobbled to his feet, more falling off of the bench than consciously standing up. Jeremy took a sharp breath, his eyes widening with fear.  _ He could never dream of doing something like that for you. He doesn’t love you like you love him. He told you that, stupid. _

“What?”

“Squip told me you have more natural talent than anyone,” Michael said. “That you could easily finish off monsters without having to suffer the way I am.” Michael stuffed his soul gem into his pocket and scowled out at the dark street with the flickering lights. “But I know you won’t. You can’t give up being human just out of a little pity, after all.”

“Pity?” Jeremy stood to his feet suddenly. “Michael, that’s not-”

“If you don’t care enough to help me, then you don’t care about me. Not really. Not that I expected anything else, I mean you told me…” Michael let out a bitter laugh and ran his hands through his hair.  _ You told me you didn’t love me.  _ “So, just be honest and say you miss being the only person I had to protect. That’s all I was ever worth to you anyway.” 

Jeremy seemed to be struggling with his words. He was crying.  _ I made Jeremy cry.  _ Michael’s mind snapped back into place.  _ No no no what did I say to him? I wanted him to be happy! That was the whole point! So, why… _

Michael took one step backward. Then another. He had to get away from Jeremy. He was out of control.

“Don’t follow me.” And Michael took off down the street and rain started to pour from above. 

_ I’m so stupid… why did I say all of that? I’m sorry… I’m so sorry.  _

_ Maybe I am beyond saving. _

 

* * *

 

Rich’s apartment was cluttered, musty, and surreal. The space wasn’t large to begin with, but the piles upon piles of paper full of haphazardly scribbled writing and sketches flung about the room seemed to pull the walls in close, to the point where Chloe found it hard to draw in a breath. It wasn’t just the way some of the bigger illustrations clung eerily to the wall that unsettled her, but what little organization the room had was centered around the focal point of a grandfather clock that looked older than life itself. On cue, it let out a series of deafening clangs to mark the hour: nine o’clock.

Still gazing around the walls in awe, she cupped her hands over her ears and grimaced. “Does that thing have a volume dial? It’s not pretty enough to be worth the hearing loss.”

Rich frowned at her and flicked on a dusty floor lamp in the corner, the shadows it cast only accentuating the mess. And it didn’t escape her notice that the light glinted off the face of another, smaller clock hung at an angle on the wall.

So he was crazy. That explained a lot.

Rich straightened up and walked over to a huge map of the city that was hanging on one of the walls. He pointed to a red X in one area of the city and circled it with his finger.

“This is where Walpurgisnacht is going to descend,” he stated.

“How do you know that?” Chloe asked, raising an eyebrow. 

“Statistics.”

Chloe let out a short laugh. “Statistics? What kind of statistics? I’ve never even heard of this monster before, but you’re an expert on it?” Rich didn’t turn around and just continued staring at the map, his hardened gaze never faltering. “Look, we don’t have to be all buddy-buddy. I’d rather we weren’t, because you’re a fucking creep. But if we’re gonna fight this thing together, I need to be able to trust you. What’s your deal, anyway?”

“I’d like to know the same thing,” a new voice said. Chloe turned and saw that little white bastard, Squip. She immediately summoned her spear from her soul gem, glaring daggers at him. 

“You’ve got some  _ balls  _ showing your face around here,” Chloe hissed. 

“My, my,” Squip said. “It seems I am unwelcome here. But all I want is to deliver some important information.”

“Shove it,” Chloe said, advancing on him, spear reflecting the harsh light of the lamp. “Get out of here.” 

“Michael Mell’s deterioration is happening far quicker than I anticipated,” Squip said, seemingly unaffected. “It isn’t just all the magic he’s using. He’s given up on his wish and has begun to curse the world.” 

“Oh, really?” Chloe spat. “And who’s fault is that, do you think? You wanna take a guess, fucker?”

“At this rate, he’ll be causing you a bit more trouble before Walpurgisnacht arrives. You’d best be on your guard.” Rich turned and looked at Squip, expressionless.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Chloe asked. 

“Perhaps you should ask him instead of me,” Squip said, beginning to back up towards the door. “I’m sure you already know what I’m talking about, Rich Goranski.” Chloe looked over at Rich, but his expression didn’t change. He gave no indication that he’d even heard what Squip had said. 

“I thought so,” Squip said. “Where did you learn something like that, I wonder? I’m very curious to know. Are you perhaps-” Rich narrowed his eyes and finally spoke up.

“You heard her. Scram,” he said. Squip nodded his head and turned to leave, slinking off into the shadows. When he had left, Rich turned to scrutinize the map once again.

“You’re just letting him go?” Chloe protested. “After what he did to us?”

“There’s no point in killing it,” Rich said. He picked up a pen and started to mark some more places on the map -- spots in the river, some sort of starting attack point, and a large, unidentified something. 

“I don’t care if there’s a point,” Chloe said. “I’m gonna make that thing pay.”

“Do whatever you want,” Rich shrugged, accentuating the movement with a large sweep of his arm as he drew an arrow between two marked points.

“What was he saying about Michael?” Chloe asked after a minute. “Is he in danger?”

“Yes,” Rich said. “His soul gem is becoming too tainted. If it’s not purified soon, his ass is grass.”

“So, lend him a grief seed,” Chloe said.

“That might not be enough,” Rich said. “That fighting technique is making him lose his mind. Can’t you tell? He’s a bit of an ass sometimes, but Michael’s not bloodthirsty.”

“What’s that got to do with his soul gem?” Chloe demanded. “We can lend him a hand for a while until we can help him fight normally, right? But he’s got to clean it fast before he runs out of magic and you don’t seem to give a damn.”

“I won’t let it become a problem,” Rich said. 

“Would you just be straight with me?” Chloe asked, advancing towards him. He didn’t respond, not that Chloe wasn’t used to that. She huffed and turned to sit down again, looking over some of the assorted papers. All that mattered was that they beat this monster together. And as for Michael… she’d check on him later.

 

* * *

 

“Hey, Jeremy,” Christine said after a minute as they all sat at lunch. “Do you know where Michael is? I’ve been texting him all day and he’s not responding.” 

“I haven’t seen him since last night,” Jeremy said, not looking up from the table. 

“You really should eat something,” Jenna said, passing Jeremy her apple in concern. “Did you guys fight or something?” Jeremy shook his head, but couldn’t find the strength to respond at all. He glanced up at Christine for a second, but she held tight to Brooke’s hand and refused to meet his eye. After school, he’d find Michael. He couldn’t abandon his best friend, no matter what.

 

* * *

 

Michael swung his swords around violently, trying to fight back all of the distorted colors closing in around him. He’d kill them...he’d kill them all. None of them would ever hurt Jeremy, or anyone else. His head throbbed as the labyrinth faded away and he stumbled, catching himself against the wall and gazed down at the ground of… wherever he was. Somewhere downtown. He’d lost track along the way, and what was the use in going home anyway? He’d said horrible things to Jeremy. Things he didn’t mean, but couldn’t take back.

_ God, I’m such a loser.  _

His transformation dropped against his will and his knees grew weak as his grip tightened around his soul gem. He panted with exhaustion, each step forward carrying an impossible weight. He had never felt so tired… this exhaustion went to his very core and circulated through the empty shell of his body. He slowly pushed off the wall and stumbled. He felt like he should just let himself fall and become the useless corpse he nearly was forever. 

“You really are a dumbass, aren’t you?” Michael felt anger rise inside of his stomach, and he found the energy to turn around and face Rich, who had appeared suddenly as he always seemed to.  _ Fucking teleportation bullshit. _

“You need to stop fighting familiars,” Rich said. “You don’t have the luxury of killing them when you’re this weak.” 

“Thanks,” Michael said bitterly. “Didn’t ask you.”

“You need to purify your soul gem. Now.” Rich tossed Michael a grief seed, which clattered to the floor and stopped at Michael’s foot. Michael scoffed and kicked it back into the darkness as hard as he could without falling over. 

“What are you planning this time?” Michael asked. 

“You’re a fucking idiot. You’re in no place to refuse help right now,” Rich said. “Regardless of your feelings about me. Stop hanging onto the scraps of your pride.”

“That’s homophobia…” Michael mumbled with a smirk. Rich’s gaze hardened. 

“This isn’t a joke,” Rich hissed.

“I’m not like you,” Michael said, standing up a bit straighter. “I’m not going to manipulate or use anyone, and I won’t associate with people who do. And I’m not going to allow myself to take these precious ‘rewards.’ I don’t need thanks for doing the only thing I’m good for.” 

“You…” Rich said coldly, “are going to die.” 

“Bold of you to assume I can,” Michael said. “But for the sake of your argument, I’ll humor you. Dying wouldn’t be the worst. I’d rather die than accept your help. You’re a murderer. You let Jake die, and you let all these people die, and then you just keep going like their lives mean nothing to you.”

“I just want to save you,” Rich said. “Why can’t you trust me?”

“Why?” Michael paused, his legs shaking. “I don’t know. I guess I just know somehow…” Michael chuckled and looked up at Rich with a grin. “...that you’re a  _ liar _ .” 

Rich stiffened and clenched his fists. “I can tell just by looking at you that you’ve given up on everything,” Michael continued, “everything you say just seems like hollow words. You’re even doing it now.” 

Michael took a shaky step forward, glaring at Rich and desperately trying to keep his body from collapsing. 

“You say you want to help me, but I know that’s not what you’re really thinking,” Michael said. 

“Don’t you realize you’re just making Jeremy suffer?” Rich snapped. Everything, from his hard-set jaw to his tightened fists were trembling as he stared Michael down. He didn’t know why, but there was an incomprehensible pain behind his eyes. Michael had to look away. 

“Jeremy?” Michael repeated, puzzled. “This has nothing to do with him.”

“You’re wrong,” Rich said intently, averting his gaze. “Everything has to do with him.” Rich seemed to snap out of his daze and turned to Michael with that familiar cold stare once again. Michael held his breath.

“You’re very perceptive,” Rich said blankly. “And you’re right. I have little desire to save you at this point. I just don’t want Jeremy to have to watch you destroy yourself.” Rich transformed in a quick flash of light, and Michael stumbled and fell to the ground. “If you’re not gonna pull your head outta your ass, then...well. You really leave me no choice.”

Michael’s eyes widened as the soul gem on Rich’s left hand shone brightly, until it was all he could see. He let the orange light overtake him. It was about time someone did him in.  _ I’m so...so… _

There was a loud clang and the light died down. Michael opened his eyes and saw Chloe restraining Rich, holding his arms and pointing her spear at his neck. 

“Michael! Run!” Chloe yelled. Michael shakily planted his hands on the ground and pushed himself up into a seated position. Then using the wall, he stood up and stumbled away, the exhaustion only building with every step until he was out of the building.

 

 

* * *

 

Chloe tightened her grip as Rich tried and failed to squirm free. 

“Are you fucking insane?” Chloe yelled at him. “I thought you were here to save him, not  _ kill  _ him!”

“Let….me...go!” Rich yelled. Chloe smirked and inched her blade closer. 

“I see… you can’t use that weird technique of yours when I’m holding you like this, huh?” She smiled to herself. “Then there’s no way in hell I’m letting you go, midget.” Rich finally stilled, not saying a word. Chloe let a bit of tension release from her shoulders. All she had to do was keep him here long enough for Michael to get somewhere safe. And after that…

She still wasn’t going to let anyone hurt him. 

Chloe’s thought train derailed when she heard Rich fidgeting with his shield and caught a glimpse of something in his hand that looked like… a fucking grenade?

“Shit!” she cursed, releasing her hold and scrambling away as she watched Rich rip the pin out with his teeth. Chloe covered her face as the explosion rang out, and when the smoke cleared, Rich was gone. 

 

* * *

 

Michael grabbed onto the handrail of the subway as it harshly turned a corner, throwing his balance off. He didn’t even know how late it was, and he had no idea where he was getting off. He just had to wander the shitty New Jersey streets until he found a monster or familiar to kill. And then he’d just keep on going. 

“...even got into NYU.” Two men at the opposite end of the car were having a conversation. Michael didn’t care to eavesdrop, but focusing on their words could help him keep the throbbing in his head at bay. 

“Business major, right? S’more honorable than what lots of the other snowflakes at that school do.”

“No shit. There’s nothing honorable about him now, though. I shouldn’t have let him go to a school with so many fucking art students, but I thought he was man enough to hold onto his morals.”

“You can’t trust kids. You gotta beat the discipline into them at a young age, see? That’s what I do. My youngest, Josh, told me he wanted to be a figure skater. He’s only eight, and he’s already being hypnotized by what they put on TV these days. Can you imagine?”

“I did rough him up good when he brought home that homo for Thanksgiving. He’s no son of mine.”

“It’s unnatural. I say, cut him off. Teach him a lesson.”

“Trust me. After Christmas, he won’t be hearing from me.”

“Hey.” He’d spoken without thinking. That same numbness that overtook his brain when he was fighting with Jeremy crept in from the corners of his brain. The two men looked in Michael’s direction, a bit taken aback by his outburst. “Tell me more about him,” Michael said.

“Uh, what?” the taller man asked.

“Your son,” Michael spat. “Tell me more about him.”

“Are you a highschooler, kid?” the other man asked. “You shouldn’t be out this late.”

“Your son...both of your sons. They love you and probably do their best to make you happy. And you have the nerve to talk about them this way. To beat them? To disown them?”

“What the…” the taller man said. He leaned over to his friend. “Do you know this kid?”

“No…”

The subway screeched to a halt and the doors opened to an empty stop. The world was silent for a moment. No one in the car moved. There was a ding, and the doors closed, the train speeding to life once again. 

“Are people like you even worth protecting?” Michael asked. “Why have I been fighting all this time?” He took a few steps until he was standing in front of where the two men were seated. Michael could barely feel his body anymore. 

“Tell me,” he demanded. “You. Tell me. Right now.”

There were bright colors and deafening music. Then a silent car roaring down the tracks. 

 

* * *

 

“Michael?” Jeremy yelled as he squinted through the dark, turning yet another unfamiliar corner. The name echoed through the alleys and off of the dark buildings like whispering ghosts. “Michael? Can you hear me?” There was no response. Jeremy pulled his blue sweater closer to his chest and shivered. He’d been searching for hours, ignoring call after call from his father. He couldn’t rest until he found his best friend. 

Jeremy tried not to think about Jake. He tried not to think about Chloe’s threats. He tried not to think about what Rich had said after Michael made his contract.

He eventually came upon an abandoned fountain surrounded by several empty benches, and he allowed himself to sit down for just a minute. As he lowered himself onto the bench, he felt his lip trembling and took a deep breath.  _ I’m not going to break down. Michael’s probably fine. He’s fine, he’s going to be fine… _

“Hello, Jeremy Heere.” Jeremy’s head shot up, and his grief was quickly replaced with growing rage. 

“You…” he choked out. Squip was sitting on top of the fountain, staring at Jeremy, never blinking. “You need to undo what you did to Michael…”

“I can’t,” Squip said unapologetically. “It’s beyond my powers.” Jeremy kicked at the ground harshly and crumpled into himself, listening only to the sound of his beating heart.  _ There has to be a way to undo it. To stop him from fighting. It might not be what he wants...but it’s what he needs. If only I could  _ do  _ something… _

“Hey… Squip?” Jeremy asked. “You told me once that if I made a contract… I’d be a pretty powerful magical boy, right?” Squip hopped off the fountain and padded over to sit next to Jeremy on the bench. 

“Pretty powerful is a gross understatement,” Squip said. “Your power would be nearly incomprehensible. That is, if you made a wish that was great enough.” Jeremy swallowed. He still didn’t understand… 

“Why me, though?” he whispered out, mostly to himself. 

“I have no idea either,” Squip said, cocking its head. “Your latent power is on a scale that theoretically shouldn’t even be possible. I would like an explanation just as much as you do.”

“Why…”

“If you were to release your power, the miracle you could unleash may twist the fabric of the universe. Why you alone should carry such an unthinkable power…” Squip sat upright again, staring up at Jeremy like he was scrutinizing an insect under a microscope, “I can’t even begin to guess the reason.”

“But…” Jeremy said weakly, “There’s nothing special about me. I can’t even stand up for myself most of the time, and I don’t even know what I want to do in college...I always figured I’d just stumble through life, not really helping anyone or doing anything significant. And...I want to be important...and to be brave. But I’m just...not. There’s no helping it.”

“Though the reality is quite different,” Squip said. “Jeremy Heere… if you wished it… you could even become the god of this world.” Jeremy stiffened, completely taken aback. It was unthinkable...but at the same time...

“So, if I made the contract, I could do things that you can’t? I could put Michael back to normal?” Jeremy clenched the sleeves of his sweater and stared at the falling water of the fountain. 

“Quite easily,” Squip responded. He stepped closer to Jeremy, eyes boring right into him. “Would it be worth trading your soul for, then?” Jeremy didn’t have to think twice.

“For Michael, yes. I’ll do it.” Jeremy took a breath, his brow furrowing in determination. “I wish that-”

_ BANG! _

Squip was suddenly full of dozens of bullet holes. His tiny white form collapsed, blood seeping out of his body. Jeremy recoiled and gasped in fright. His eyes darted around and instantly settled on Rich, who was standing close to them, dropping an empty gun to the ground. He looked angrier than Jeremy had ever seen him. Jeremy considered running for his life, but he was frozen in terror. 

“You...killed him…” Jeremy said shakily. “I was going to save Michael! How could you-” 

“Why do you always try to sacrifice yourself like that?” Rich demanded, walking closer and closer until he was staring directly down at Jeremy as he sat unmoving on the bench.

“Huh?” 

“Calling yourself useless and insignificant… treating yourself like you don’t even matter! That’s enough, tall-ass!” Rich roared. He gripped the steel armrest of the bench and dropped his head down to look at the ground. “Think about all the people who love you! Stop being so..so stupid! Don’t you know that there are people who would grieve if you died?” Rich placed his hands on Jeremy’s shoulders, and the touch was like a shock for a second. Rich’s hands...they were shaking. Not just a tiny tremor either, they were fully trembling, a miniature earthquake localized just in his palms, radiating out through his fingertips into Jeremy’s skin.

“Why can’t you understand that?” Rich continued. “What about the people who are trying so hard to protect you?” He finally looked up. Rich was crying, an intense ugly cry that Jeremy was far from prepared to see. He’d never seen Rich show this sort of emotion before...and for… him? But… why?  _ Why all of this?  _

Rich let go of Jeremy and crouched down, crying uncontrollably into the side of the bench. The sound of his sobs echoed through Jeremy’s brain. And for a second, something caught in his brain like a snag. 

“Rich… have we…” He couldn't place it. “...met somewhere before?”

“...I…”

And like that, it was gone. Jeremy shook his head to clear it and stood up, beginning to back away. 

“I have to go find Michael.”

“Wait!” Rich cried out. He tried to stumble to his feet, but couldn’t seem to get up. “Michael is already…” Jeremy turned and ran. 

“Wait!” he heard Rich call out after him.  _ Find Michael. Find Michael. Find Michael.  _ “Jeremy!”

 

* * *

 

“You know there was no point in doing that.” 

Rich looked up from where he was crying into the ground to see Squip smiling at him maliciously from a nearby wall. “You just don’t learn, do you?” It jumped down and emerged from the shadows, walking over to its previous body. “I have countless spares, of course, but making me use them up needlessly like this... what a bother.” Squip leaned down and began to sink its teeth into the bloody white corpse, swallowing down strips of mangled flesh as if it were boring. Like self-cannibalism was just some fucked up form of paperwork to it. Rich wiped his eyes and glared at it, shakily rising to his feet. 

“That’s the second time you’ve killed me,” Squip remarked as it finished eating. “But I guess I should thank you. By killing me just now, I’ve figured out what your magic specialty is.” A cold rush of air came tumbling from behind. Rich stood his ground.

“That was time magic, wasn’t it?”

Rich’s heart skipped a beat. 

“That’s what I thought. I had suspected as much already, of course. You’re not even from this timeline, are you?”

“I know what you are,” Rich hissed. “And I know what you’re planning.”

“I see,” Squip said. “So, that’s why you’ve been working so hard to keep interfering with me. Do you want to change Jeremy Heere’s fate that badly?” 

“Yes,” Rich responded shortly. “And I’m not going to let you, or anyone else, stand in my way.” 

 

* * *

 

Chloe ran down the stairs, more relieved than she’d ever felt when she saw a familiar boy in a red hoodie sitting by himself at an abandoned subway stop. 

“Finally, I found you,” she breathed, taking a seat next to him. “Don’t scare me like that.” Michael didn’t say anything, so Chloe crossed her legs and took a bottle of nail polish out of her pocket to do some touch-ups. She glanced over at him every so often, but he wouldn’t even look at her.

“How long were you planning on being stubborn like this?” Chloe asked him. 

“I’m sorry for making you look for me,” Michael mumbled out. Chloe cracked a bit of a smile. 

“You apologizing? To me? That’s not like you…Come on. Crack a joke or something.” 

“I just can’t care about anything anymore,” Michael continued. “When I do… I only make things worse. I can’t even remember what I thought was so worth protecting about some of these people… and Jeremy… I messed up. I was trying to make him happy, but he’s miserable because of my decision. I can barely even fight monsters… I’m not good for anything.”

“Hey, don’t say…” Chloe cut herself off when she saw Michael’s soul gem, clutched like a lifeline in both his hands. It had lost all of its former vibrant color, and was now a swirling pool of black, with only the slightest hints of red glowing through, like a dim bulb hidden behind a cracked mirror. Chloe’s gasped and reached out towards Michael. 

“I saved a few people,” Michael said, tears beginning to leak out of his eyes, “but I hurt people too. Even my best friend… I  _ love  _ him but all I did was hurt him…”

“Michael, that’s not true! You-”

Michael gave a final sob and his shoulders bounced with a hollow laugh. With excruciating effort, he looked up and turned towards Chloe, his brown eyes flooding with emotion.

“I was wrong, you know. I’m the only stupid gay between us.” The sobs gave way to a flood of giggles. She wouldn’t call them crazed, if anything they were too normal, nowhere near as strained as she would expect. He leaned back, and barely managed to speak through the fits of laughter. “I was stupid… so stupid.”

She saw a tear drip from his chin, straight down to the soul gem in his hands. She could feel her stomach drop as it rolled down the glassy surface, and with it the last shard of red melted away. 

Suddenly, the station was flooded with an array of color, and Chloe was hit with a wave of energy that pushed her from her seat. Parts of the building began to collapse and the world glitched around them, Michael at the center of it, his head thrown back somewhere between a laugh and a howl of pain. Chloe caught a pipe in the way as the force of the cataclysmic release of energy blew her back. 

“Michael!” she yelled through the chaos. 

Through the wind and the flashing lights, Chloe saw Michael’s body fall over backwards, a limp puppet tossed away by its master. His soul gem, on the other hand, began to rise into the air as the dark, crackling center shrank into a compact sphere. The once decorative metal frame snapped around it, one end elongating until it sharpened into a needle point and in that moment, Chloe’s blood ran cold in recognition.

Michael’s grief seed clattered to the ground and the world around her disappeared.


	9. I'm Going to Keep You Safe, Okay?

The world around them had erupted into color. Deafening music with a grating reggae beat echoed through the open space as seemingly hundreds of boys’ silhouettes danced tauntingly around. _A monster’s labyrinth… but how?_

Chloe saw Michael lying on the ground in the midst of it, the form of a large monster casting a shadow over him. Acting quickly, Chloe transformed and leapt forward, catching him before he hit the ground. The music grew louder as the monster turned toward Chloe, pointing a katana twice her size menacingly at her. Chloe clutched Michael close to her chest and dodged as the monster threw what looked like large train wheels at her. She leapt to get away from the monster looming over her, running across broken subway tracks and resisting the urge to drop Michael to cover her ears.

“Get back.”

Rich appeared suddenly next to her, reaching behind his shield and producing a bomb. Then he blinked out of existence for just a second and reappeared a bit closer to her. After a second, an explosion rang out, hitting the monster and causing it to growl and direct its shadowy minions in their direction.

“Take my hand,” Rich said. Chloe glanced at the monster, and then back at Rich.

“Why would I-”

“Just do it,” Rich demanded. Reluctantly, she moved Michael so he was hanging over her right shoulder and gave Rich her hand. She saw him do...something to that shield of his and in a second, the music stopped. Rich started running, dragging her behind as Chloe’s eyes darted around. Everything was frozen… _what the fuck?_

“Don’t let go,” Rich said as he dragged her away towards the exit. “Or you’ll be frozen in time. So...be careful.” That… actually explained a lot. But this was still crazy. What was even going on?

“Where did that monster come from?” Chloe asked shakily.

“You saw it yourself, didn’t you?” Rich said. “That monster used to be Michael Mell.”

“Aren’t we gonna fight hi… it?” Rich scoffed but didn't slow down.

“If you want to fight it, ditch the baggage,” he said. He gestured with his head to the body slung over Chloe’s shoulder.

“Like hell!” Chloe shot back, resisting the urge to yank her hand away from his grasp. _This isn’t right...he’s not dead. I said I wasn’t going to let him fucking die!_ It was only after they had exited the labyrinth and made their out of the subway station that Rich released the mechanism in his shield and time began to move forward again. She leaned over, wheezing heavily, the weight of the body on her shoulder a horrible reminder of what she’d just witnessed. _It can’t be true… it just can’t…_ She dropped her transformation and stared blankly at the ground, wishing desperately to wake up, even though she knew she wouldn’t.

“Right before Walpurgisnacht…” she heard Rich mumble bitterly. “Perfect. Just perfect.” Chloe wanted to scream at him and rip him apart for not caring. For acting so above it all. But all she could find the strength to do was gently set Michael’s body on the ground and stare helplessly at it. Someone who had only wanted to help people… someone she could have been friends with was now dead. Not only dead, but doomed to a fate of cursing the world as a monster. _That’s what you wanted, though,_ a voice in the back of her head reminded her. _Wasn’t it? To finish the annoying little bastard off? Well. Guess who has the city all to herself now._

Rich dropped his transformation as well, walking closer to her. He still didn’t break the somber air of silence between them.

“Rich? C-Chloe?” Rich turned quickly to face the familiar voice and Chloe followed. Michael’s lanky friend was running in their direction, his arms holding his thin cardigan in place as a makeshift shield against the unforgiving cold of the night. “Have either of you seen-”

His words seem to die in his throat as he approached and caught sight of his best friend’s body, sprawled in the dirt. “Mi-” he got out before he covered his mouth with his hand and collapsed to his knees. “No,” he whispered. “No...no...no…” He leaned over Michael and started shaking him.

“Jeremy…” Chloe started.

“What happened?” Jeremy cried out, voice cracking. “Where’s...where’s his soul gem?” Chloe averted her gaze and closed her eyes. How was she supposed to tell him? This wasn’t fair. None of this was right.

“Michael fell into despair,” Rich said after a moment. His voice was strong and harsh. “So his soul gem turned into a grief seed. The Michael you knew is now dead. All that’s left of him is a new monster.”

“You’re lying…” Jeremy’s voice quivered. “That’s not… you’re lying…” He began to silently sob into the material of the red hoodie. “Please tell me you’re lying.” Rich produced his soul gem, its shine highlighting the four haunted faces.

“When a magical boy or girl loses hope, their soul gem goes dark,” he stated. “When your soul gem goes dark, you transform into a monster. And the inescapable cycle continues.”

“No no no…” Jeremy’s whispers grew more intent, more anguished. “No! That’s not… you’re a liar! Michael would never hurt anyone! He...he just wanted to protect me… to protect everyone!”

“His intentions are irrelevant,” Rich said blankly. “And now his only purpose is to destroy until one of us finishes him off.” Jeremy gasped and started shaking, more violent sobs escaping and echoing over the empty streets. Chloe was seething. She grabbed Rich by his shirt and hissed into his face.

“What the fuck is your problem?” she demanded. “Are we supposed to be impressed that you know so much? He was Michael’s best friend!” Rich rotated his head slowly to look over at Jeremy, who was sobbing profusely into Michael’s sweatshirt.

“Do you understand now?” Rich said to the sobbing boy. “This is why I told you to give up on him. And this is why anyone who makes a contract is a dumbass.”

“Shut up!” Chloe roared, tightening her grip on Rich. “Don’t talk to him that way!”

“Try not to be seen with the corpse,” he said to Chloe. His eyes had no emotion behind them. No sorrow. No regret. “Be careful where you dispose of it.” Chloe dropped his shirt collar and glared at him defiantly through watering eyes.

“How do you even call yourself human?” she demanded.

“I don’t,” he answered shortly. He stepped past Jeremy with care and turned to look back at her one last time before disappearing into the darkness. “And neither should you.”

 

* * *

 

Jeremy hugged his knees close to his chest. He should have been crying. He should have been screaming. He wanted to. He really _really_ wanted to. But none of it felt real. He shouldn’t have left Michael alone. He shouldn’t have let him run off. He shouldn’t have let Michael comfort him and protect him time and time again like it was his duty. He shouldn’t have let Michael fall in love with him.

“Can I come in? I need to talk to you.”

Jeremy turned slightly to see Squip sitting on his windowsill. He nodded slowly, not seeing why it would matter.

“Rich killed you,” Jeremy whispered. Squip didn’t respond, but simply let himself in and settled on the end of Jeremy’s bed, looking at him intently with that heartless stare. Jeremy shifted into an upright position slowly, brushing stray hairs out of his face. “Was what Rich said true?” he asked after a minute.

“I can’t deny it,” Squip said, cocking its head.

“You’ve been turning us into magical girls and boys… just to create monsters,” Jeremy said, voice shaking with fear. “Why? Why would you do something… so sick?”

“Make no mistake,” Squip said. “We aren’t doing this out of any ill will towards the human race. Your sacrifices are necessary to prolong life across the universe. Do you know what ‘entropy’ means, Jeremy?” He didn’t respond. He was doing everything he could to drown out Squip’s words. He didn’t want to hear excuses.

“To give an example, the amount of energy that’s released when burning wood is far less than the energy it took to grow the wood. This loss of energy when it changes forms is called ‘entropy’. So, as you can imagine, the amount of usable energy in the universe is steadily decreasing.” Michael’s laugh filled Jeremy’s head louder than anything Squip was saying. He hugged his knees closer and shivered.

“So, my race began searching for a kind of energy that wasn’t bound to laws of thermodynamics,” Squip continued. “Our process is what you call ‘magic’ here on your planet.”

“What...are you?” Jeremy whispered out.

“Our civilization found a way to harness strong changes in emotions as raw, usable energy,” Squip said. “Unfortunately, our race cannot feel emotion. But your race… the _human_ race… you feel emotions so strongly. We knew we had to come to your planet to harvest enough energy to meet our quota. We target teenagers and children since you have quickest fluctuations between hope and despair. At the moment when a soul gem goes dark and transforms into a grief seed, a large amount of energy is created. It is my job, as a Squip, to collect that energy by making contracts, and then ensuring that these magical boys and girls fall into despair.”

“We’re just disposable to you then?” Jeremy asked weakly.

“A few losses are negligible in the long run,” Squip said. “You cannot comprehend the number of beings in the universe and the amount of energy they use in a single moment. Even you humans will likely leave your planet one day and join us, so wouldn’t you rather they not have to live in a world that is desolate and devoid of usable energy?”

“But you’re killing people to do it,” Jeremy said, his throat closing up. “It’s horrible…”

“I don’t _force_ anyone to make a contract,” Squip said with a shrug. “We always get consent. Doesn’t that alone show our goodwill?”

“No!” Jeremy yelled, hitting the mattress. He couldn’t hold in his anger anymore. “It’s not fair at all! You only get ‘consent’ by tricking us!”

“Why is it that when humans regret an agreement based off a misunderstanding, they grow to resent the other party?” Squip asked, shaking his head. “It’s truly perplexing. I would answer any questions about the contract if you humans simply bothered to ask.”

“That’s awful…” Jeremy breathed, his whole body being overtaken by fierce trembling. “And….and selfish. We aren’t your stupid power source.”

“The human population is over seven billion,” Squip stated. “How can you possibly be upset about losing such a small number?”

“Get out…” Jeremy choked out between his heavy breaths.

“I was only trying put your mind at ease, Jeremy Heere,” Squip said. “So you’d rest easy, knowing the death of your friend was for the greater good of the universe. I see now that for whatever reason, it has not helped at all.”

“Of course not,” Jeremy whispered. “Why would it?”

“You called us selfish,” Squip said, stepping closer. “Well, consider this. You have the potential to become the greatest magical boy in the world, and then, in turn, the most powerful monster. The amount of energy your despair would release would meet our quota instantly. So, by forcing us to keep making contracts with other humans and letting them die, isn’t it _you_ who is being selfish?”

Jeremy buried his face into his knees, a few tears finally escaping his eyes.

“So. If you ever decide to give up your soul for the sake of the universe, come find me. I’ll be waiting.” And with that, Squip turned and slunk out of the window, leaving Jeremy all alone once again.

 

* * *

 

Chloe held out her soul gem and let its glow shine over Michael’s cold body, which had been placed carefully on the couch of her grimy apartment. Her mind kept flickering back to the way life had returned to Michael’s eyes that one night on the bridge when his soul gem was returned. He had gotten up and was perfectly fine… so she couldn’t let the body rot. Because she was going to get his soul gem back...somehow.

“Why expend so much energy to keep that body fresh?” Squip remarked behind her. She stiffened at the sound of his level, sniveling voice. She hadn’t heard him come in. She stuffed her soul gem into her hoodie pocket with a huff.

“Is there a way to get Michael’s soul gem back?” she asked.

“None that _I_ know of,” Squip said.

“So it’s impossible,” Chloe concluded. Everything inside her seemed to tighten into meandering knots.

 

“Perhaps. Then again, I don’t know everything,” Squip said. “Though, I do know a lot. I’ve never heard of any instance of a soul gem being recovered after it has been transformed into a grief seed, but that evidence alone cannot deem it impossible.” Squip jumped up onto the windowsill and made direct eye contact with her. “I’m afraid I can’t offer you any guidance.” Chloe scoffed and crossed the room, sitting down at her small kitchen table and pulling out a mascara brush.

“Like I’d want it.”

 

 

* * *

 

Every step he took felt like another mountain to climb. The sound of his feet on the sidewalk reverberated through his head, the hallow noise bringing back the image of that abandoned alleyway and the empty look in Michael’s eyes as he lay on the ground, lifeless. The Mells had filed an official missing person’s report the previous night. Jeremy shuddered a bit. He was already seeing ghosts of Michael everywhere he looked. If they put up posters too…

“Jeremy?” Christine said softly after a minute. He stopped walking, not knowing if he had the strength to face her. Jenna, Christine, and Brooke stopped as well, and though he couldn’t see, he just knew they were sharing pitying looks. Christine put a hand on his shoulder and he hesitantly looked up to meet her eyes.

“We heard about what happened…” Brooke said carefully. “I… you know you don’t have to be at school today if you aren’t ready.” She squeezed Christine’s hand for reassurance in her words. They had been holding hands for the duration of the walk. Jeremy almost thought to ask about it, but Jenna interrupted him.

“They’re going to find him,” she said. “I know it. I’ve been keeping my ear to the ground, and the police are working hard to investigate. Especially considering that other guy went missing earlier this month. He’s not gone yet, Jeremy. I promise.”

“...yeah,” Jeremy said. He didn’t have the heart to tell them the truth. He didn’t have the heart to even think about it for himself. “...you’re probably right.”

_Hey, string bean. Are you really going to school on a day like this? It’ll just make you more depressed, trust me._

_Chloe?_

Jeremy looked around frantically, and eventually spotted her standing on top of a building, in what looked like her street clothes. She must have used that telepathy thing to talk to him.

_Come on. You wanna save Michael, right? Meet me by the 7/11._

Jeremy nodded mutely, even though he knew Chloe couldn’t see.

_Okay._

Brooke and Jenna looked at Jeremy expectantly, while Christine just looked somber. He swallowed and fidgeted with the ends of his blue cardigan.

“I… don’t feel well,” Jeremy lied, knowing how transparent he was. But he also knew none of the girls would call him out on his lie. Not after what had happened. “I’m going to stay home today, I think.” Jenna nodded, flashing him a sympathetic look as she turned around and continued her path to school. Brooke let go of Christine’s hand and stepped forward to give Jeremy a quick hug and a whispered “Feel better” before turning and following. Christine, however, stayed behind, not saying anything. She was taking shaky breaths. Her short black hair was like a picture frame holding together a cracked piece of art.

“Michael confessed to you, didn’t he?” she asked after a minute, voice tight. “Before he disappeared.” She looked up at him and Jeremy flinched. There were tears in her eyes. Jeremy nodded, squeezing his eyes shut. _Don’t cry. Don’t cry._

“It’s my fault,” Christine choked out, tears beginning to stream gently down her rosy cheeks. “I pressured him into it… I shouldn’t have forced him to..” She cut herself off, shoulders shaking up in down with her sobs.

“Christine…” Jeremy said weakly.

“You should go,” she whispered. “Take a day. Take a few days. You… shouldn’t have to suffer like this.” Jeremy knew he should stay and talk to her. But there was nothing he could do. He reached for Christine’s hand and gave it an affectionate squeeze, then turned to begin his forlorn march to the 7/11.

 

* * *

 

When he found Chloe, she tossed him a Hershey bar and leaned against the side of the convenience store with what was probably an attempt at a warm smile. The rising sun peaked out from behind the corners of the buildings casting Chloe ominously in shadow. She stepped into the light after a second, checking her nails.

“That girl you were with… the blonde one… is she…” She shook her head once and made a disgusted face, like she’d thought better of asking. “Nevermind. Just...thanks for coming. To talk to me.”

“Do you really think there’s a way to save Michael?” Jeremy blurted without thinking. His knees buckled slightly with his words. He had hardly allowed himself to think about what had transpired.

“Not sure,” she said. “But I’m sure as hell not going to leave him like that without trying. I’m… not going to give up. Not yet.” Jeremy nodded once, still not sure what her plan was, if she had one. Chloe took a careful step towards him, biting her lip for a second, a bit of insecurity in her eyes. “I don’t know if you know but… Michael… he really loved you, Jeremy. Loves.”

“I...I know,” Jeremy said. He wrapped his arms around his stomach in discomfort.

“So...if he hears your voice,” Chloe continued. “Maybe he’ll remember what he wanted to protect. His wish. Maybe that’ll bring him back.”

“You really think so?” Jeremy asked quietly.

“There’s no way to know, obviously,” Chloe said. “But… let’s just say it’s been a little too long since I’ve been optimistic. Or even wanted to save people.” She paused to laugh to herself. “When I was little, I used to love fairy tales and things like that. I even made my own wish out of that same hope Michael had - the belief that he could save people. That he could save the one he cared about most.” She sighed and rolled a hair-tie off her wrist and used it to put her hair up into a high ponytail.

“I…” Jeremy started.

“I won’t force you,” Chloe said. “Labyrinths are really dangerous, especially for civilians. And… I can’t guarantee I’ll be able to protect you.”

“I’ll help.” He didn’t have to think about it at all. “I want my best friend back.” Then, he stuck out his hand for Chloe to shake. “Jeremy. Jeremy Heere.” She grinned and took his hand firmly.

“Chloe Valentine.”

 

* * *

 

Chloe was torn. She knew she ought to say something to comfort Jeremy, but it didn’t feel like her place to speak. She got the impression that Michael and Jeremy had know each other for several years, possibly for most of their lives, and she’d barely known Michael for a week. The guilt and heartbreak she had over losing a potential friend was nothing compared to the pain Jeremy must have been feeling. Yet, his face remained neutral. _He almost looks like Rich._

“Should we have asked Rich to help?” Jeremy asked after a minute. _Speak of the devil._ Even though he was clearly trying to hide it, there was fear behind his eyes.

“No,” Chloe said bitterly. “A fat load of help he would be.”

“Oh…” Jeremy said. They walked a few more paces, Chloe’s soul gem flashing more and more rapidly as they approached the labyrinth. It hadn’t moved far from where it was previously. “I thought you guys were friends.”

“With him? Please.” She scoffed and rolled her eyes. “We’re just teaming up to fight a super powerful monster that’s apparently coming to town. Walpurgisnacht.”

“Walpurgis-” Jeremy stumbled on the word and didn’t bother finishing it.

“That’s what Rich calls it, anyway,” she said. “It’s not really a regular monster… it’s more like a clusterfuck of all the remnants of a bunch of monsters. So it’s no joke. Neither of us could probably beat it alone.” If it wasn’t for that monster, there’s no way she’d ever hang around that smartass again. He didn’t care about Michael. He didn’t care about any of them. She turned a corner with Jeremy in tow, gazing down at the pulsing shine of her soul gem. It looked like the labyrinth was up ahead of them, in an abandoned parking garage.

“What does it look like?” Jeremy asked suddenly. “That monster. Walpur...whatever.” She gave a short laugh and raised an eyebrow at him.

“Why would I know that? I’ve never seen it. No one has.”

“Right…” Jeremy said, frowning slightly. “Of course. I just thought...nevermind.”

“This is it,” Chloe said. The flashes of her soul gem were as rapid as they were going to get. She could feel it now, the hidden entrance to the labyrinth, right in front of them. She waved her hand and a dark portal opened on the side of the building. Jeremy inhaled sharply behind her, so she turned around to face him.

“It’s okay if you don’t think you’re up for this,” she said carefully. “It’s dangerous.”

“I’ll be fine,” he reassured her quietly. “I’ve almost gotten used to trailing behind.” He started playing with the sleeves of his cardigan, picking at a stray string hanging off of the worn sleeve. “I’ve never been able to help at all, though.”

“Why would you want to?” Chloe said with a small smile. “Let’s go, weirdo.” His mouth pressed into a thin line -- he clearly had more he wanted to say -- but he followed her into the labyrinth quietly.

“Do you think I’m selfish?” It came out like a whisper, and for a second, Chloe wondered if he’d even said it at all. She didn’t even know Jeremy that well… why would he ask her something like that?

“Huh?” she asked.

“For… not making a contract,” Jeremy clarified. “I mean you’re risking your life… and Michael risked his life...but I’m just… useless.”

“Wow. Okay, stop _that_ ,” Chloe said. “You’re not selfish just because you have your head on straight in terms of self-preservation.”

“But-”

“But nothing! We both know now that making a contract is a huge fucking mistake that basically dooms you to a horrible death. You aren’t a coward for not making a contract -- you’re smart. No one would call you selfish for not selling your goddamn soul. If someone did, I’d kick their ass.” She glanced back at him and held up her spear a bit for him to see. “I’m going to keep you safe, okay?” He gave her a shy smile back and in that moment, Chloe was flooded with all the regret she’d tried to keep out for so long. She shouldn’t have made the contract. Then she wouldn’t have dropped out of school. She’d be going somewhere in life. She could have had friends like Jeremy… and Michael. She wouldn’t have lost Brooke.

“Chloe!” Jeremy’s panic pulled her from her thoughts. The labyrinth was compressing. The dark hall erupted into color and rushed around them, a grand door opening at the end of it. The monster… Michael… was coming.

“Stay behind me,” Chloe commanded. “Do it like we planned.”

And there he… it… was again. Distorted reggae blasted from all directions, the waves of sound so thick she felt like she was swimming in it. A few of the silhouetted minions began to swarm around Jeremy, so she leapt into action, cutting straight through their stomachs with one swoop of her weapon. Jeremy shivered behind her, but then took a confident step forward and tilted his head up to address the monster who was lounging at the head of the room, throwing subway wheels and vinyl records at them.

“Michael?” Jeremy yelled. “It’s me! It’s Jeremy! Can you hear me? Michael?” If anything, all the shouting seemed to do was get the monster’s attention. It summoned a couple large wheels and commanded them forward with its katana. Jeremy cried out in fright and Chloe stepped in front of him, hitting each attack away. The monster was playing the offensive. That meant she had to do the same, even if it meant leaving Jeremy’s side.

“Keep going!” she yelled at him. She let her soul gem glow and summoned a barrier of chains to block Jeremy off. She couldn’t risk him getting hurt. Michael would never forgive her for that, if she ever got to see him again. She extended her spear and held it out as a challenge to the monster. It finally rose from its seated position and sent more of the shadowy soldiers after her. In the midst of the fighting and clangs of metal, she heard Jeremy crying out behind her.

“Michael, stop! You’re hurting people! I… I know you’d never ever do that! Please… please come back. I’m not mad, just… please. Michael!” She stabbed the last of the figures through the heart, and looked up, trying to assess any sort of change in the monster. But it only paused for a second before summoning hundreds of subway wheels and sent them careening at Chloe. She didn’t have time to react before they all hit her at once. The wind was knocked out of her, and she felt some bone, though she couldn’t say which, crunch loudly. _Everything was on fire._

“...loe! Chloe!” Jeremy was beside her. Her barrier had broken when she’d gotten hit. That meant… that things probably weren’t looking good for her. She could feel it too. A sort of fatigue all throughout her body. Something clicked and she realized -- the fatigue was in her body… her real body. She brought a shaky hand up to touch her soul gem. Though she couldn’t see it, she knew that it was beginning to grow dark.

“I’m fine.” She stood up shakily, focusing on the task at hand. “I’m just warming up. Just… keep calling out...to M-Michael.” She walked forward and summoned another barrier. Another wheel hit her from the side, knocking her to her knees again. She got up. Then it was the records, coming from every direction. She tried to hit them away but the ones that broke through the strokes of her spear penetrated her skin, leaving cuts that began to gush blood. She could feel it trickling down her cheeks and realized in a moment that she couldn’t remember the last time she’d let herself cry.

 _This is payback, isn’t it, idiot. For trying to kill you when we first met, huh?_ She hit away another wheel with a small chuckle. _I thought you were so weak but… you kept getting up. All for him, right? I...get it._ _You want some payback. Well, go ahead and beat me up. But once you’re done… please come back to Jeremy._

Two more wheels hit her square in the chest before she could block them and sent her flying backwards into her own barrier, which shattered on impact as her focus was disrupted. She crumpled in on herself. The pain was almost unbearable.

Then she heard Jeremy yell beside her. She sat up quickly and saw that the monster had grabbed him, taking advantage of the weak prey in the few seconds the barrier was down. Jeremy was trying to squirm free of the monster’s iron grip, which only tightened until it was strangling him.

“M-Michael…” Jeremy wheezed out weakly. He sounded like he was losing air quickly. “P-P-Please…” Something snapped inside Chloe, and she found her strength fully restored, if just for a moment.

“Michael!” she yelled. She leapt into the air and in one powerful swipe, cut the monster’s arm clean off. Blood gushed out like a waterfall, staining the floor of the labyrinth grotesquely. “You said you wanted to protect Jeremy!” she roared. “You said you wanted to protect everyone!” The monster screamed back at her and brought down its blade on the floor of the labyrinth. It shattered beneath her, and the monster, Chloe, and Jeremy’s unmoving body began to fall down, down, down.

_I’m on the edge of despair… I can feel it. It’s your fault, dummy. You made me feel again. You showed me everything I missed out on._

Her back hit the ground, but the pain was like a dull static behind the raging storm in her mind. She squinted and tried to blink away the fatigue and assess her situation. She lifted her head up and saw Rich standing a few feet away. She had no idea when he’d even entered the scene. He was holding Jeremy in his arms, looking down at him with an alien but familiar expression on his face. _That’s how she used to look at me._

“Is he okay?” Chloe choked out. Rich flinched and met her eyes for only a second before fixing his gaze on the boy in his arms once again.

“I caught him before he hit the ground,” Rich said. “But he’s unconscious.” Rich held Jeremy a bit closer to his chest and turned to her, narrowing his eyes. “You shouldn’t have brought him here.”

“I know…” Chloe wheezed out. She knew she was badly hurt. It was a miracle she was even maintaining consciousness. “T-T-Take...take care of him...okay?” She reached out a hand and summoned a barrier of chains, locking herself in with the monster. Rich’s eyes widened. He began to protest, but she cut him off.

“You n-need to get him somewhere safe,” she said shakily. “And I…” Chloe brought a hand up to trace the circumference of her darkened soul gem. “I need to stay with Michael. I’d never trust you with something so important, asshole.” There was no bite to it, and when she finally met his eyes, she knew he understood. Without another word, Rich turned and ran away from the labyrinth until he and Jeremy had disappeared completely.

Chloe took a few deep breaths and finally looked up at the monster, who had been badly hurt by her previous blow and was almost...serene.

“Hey, Michael,” she said. “You roughed me up pretty well, I’ll give you that.” She let out a hollow laugh as she summoned a spear -- larger than she’d ever made one. She poured all her magical energy into it, until she was on the verge of being tapped out. She stood up straight and gave the monster a real smile. “I think it’s time someone protected _you_ , Mike. And… I’m not going to let you live in your own despair any longer.” _And this way…_ Chloe thought as she used a trembling hand to detach her soul gem, _I won’t have to either._ Then she closed her eyes and commanded the spear forward through the monster’s heart. The last noise that rang in her ears was a shatter...then nothing.

 

* * *

 

The first thing he noticed were the sound of gentle footsteps reverberating through the night. They were steady footsteps, if not a little slow. And the next thing he noticed was the warmth of another person, right next to him. He could feel the beating of their heart, the rise and fall of their chest, their strong arms underneath his legs and shoulders.

Jeremy’s eyes snapped open. His vision was a bit hazy, but it was clear he was looking up at Rich Goranski, carrying him for some unknown reason. Jeremy couldn’t hold back a noise of surprise, which made Rich halt and look down at him with his signature stone cold expression.

“You’re up,” he said. “Think you can stand?” Jeremy nodded slowly, not really knowing if he did, in fact, have the strength to stand. He just wanted to figure out what was going on. Rich helped him to his feet as Jeremy took in his surroundings as well as he could in the dark. This was… his street. His house was only about one hundred feet away. He blinked and turned back to Rich, who he half-expected to be gone already.

“What happened?” Jeremy asked drowsily. “Wh...where’s Chloe?” Rich looked away for a minute, but his silence spoke volumes. “Oh…” Jeremy said softly. _So, she’s gone._

“She’s dead,” Rich said. His tone was even -- entirely free of emotion. “But if that surprises you, you haven’t been paying enough attention. It was bound to happen.” A chilled wind blew through the corridor of neat houses, ruffling the end of Jeremy’s cardigan. He shivered and let out a breath.

“Michael was never going to come back...was he,” Jeremy said eventually. Rich shook his head, never quite meeting Jeremy’s eyes.

“No. Chloe was a dumbass for making you think otherwise. But I guess she got what she deserved for that.”

“You don’t even care,” Jeremy realized. He felt his jaw tighten as he waited for any kind of reaction from Rich. But that stare remained. “You don’t even care that any of them died!” Jeremy said, raising his voice. “Not Chloe, not Michael, not Jake! They die and you treat them like they were nothing!”

“They’re gone. You have to let it go.”

“You’ve never cared,” Jeremy continued, starting to yell. “There’s just...nothing inside you at all. If there was an ounce of humanity left in you, then you would have tried harder to save them. Or for fuck’s sake, tried at all!” He was screaming now, angry tears gushing down the sides of his flushed face. “Michael was right about you. You’re not my friend, you’re a _monster_!”

The word bounced off the pavement and reverberated through the darkness. Jeremy covered his mouth in horror, realizing the weight of what he’d said.

“I-I didn’t mean-”

“No,” Rich said simply. “I know you meant it.” Jeremy let his head hang as he let the last of his tears fall unceremoniously on the dark cold ground. “And it’s almost true, isn’t it?”

“I…”

“You should really get some rest,” Rich said softly. Jeremy looked up to reassure Rich, to apologize… but he was already gone.

 

* * *

 

Rich angrily swept the pile of papers off his desk and collapsed into a chair, staring at the mess he’d made. All that planning… all that time spent with Chloe… it was all entirely wasted. If they had been friends and he had been weaker, he might have cried for her.

Across the room, Squip was pacing back and forth. Rich hadn’t seen it come in, but he didn’t care that it was there. If it was with him, then it couldn’t hurt anyone else.

“There was never any way to get Michael back,” Rich said, narrowing his eyes at the creature. “Why did you give them hope?”

“Chloe’s death wasn’t needless. It’s a shame her soul gem shattered before it could become a grief seed, but it’s no matter. After all, once I make a contract with Jeremy Heere, our quota will be met for certain.” Squip walked closer to where Rich was sitting among scattered papers.

“To answer your question, I told them getting Michael back might be possible because it was necessary for Chloe Valentine to die,” Squip said. “Because now, you are the only one left who can fight Walpurgisnacht. And you are too weak to beat it alone. So, you have no choice but to let Jeremy make a contract with me in order to protect this city.” Rich clenched the fabric of his jeans. He couldn’t think of anything to say. _No. No, I can’t let that happen. Never._

“It looks like you’re out of options, Rich Goranski,” Squip said.

 

 

* * *

 

Jeremy stared up at the ceiling, swallowing his emotions as well as he could. Every corner of his room was filled with Michael. There was a framed picture of them running through the mud together hanging on his wall.

_“Hahaha! Slow down, Michael!”_

_“No! You’ve gotta catch me!”_

Jeremy reached down for his covers and found one of Michael’s t-shirts at the end of his bed. One that Jeremy got him for his birthday.

_“Jeremy Heere. Did you get me a Nintendo t-shirt? What kind of basic “diet” nerd do you think I am?”_

_“Well, you don’t have to wear it…”_

_“Oh no. Imma wear it. I’m going to wear it better than any of those other hipsters in school.”_

Jeremy reached for the shirt and hugged it close to his chest. It smelled a bit like Michael, but it was cold. He just wanted to feel like Michael was still there by his side, but he was only reminded that he no longer was. Jeremy felt a few tears begin to trickle down his cheeks and punched his pillow. He shouldn’t cry. It wouldn’t change anything. It wouldn’t bring Michael back. It wouldn’t make anything right. Jeremy reached for his phone, desperate for any kind of distraction, and pulled up his “Happy” playlist out of habit.

_“What?”_

_“It’s for you… I know sometimes when your mom gets like this, you just want to be alone. So I made it for you. I don’t know… sometimes, at least for me… music speaks louder than words.”_

_“T-thank you.”_

_“I love you, buddy.”_

Jeremy pressed play, his hand shaking uncontrollably. A light reggae beat poured from his speaker across the room, and Jeremy found he could hardly breathe anymore. _I love you, I love you, I love you…_

Jeremy stuffed his face into his pillow, and stopped holding himself back. He screamed and wailed until his pillow case was entirely soaked.


	10. I Can Do This Alone

Richard’s eyes seemed to fall open in bed that morning. He should’ve been excited. He should’ve snapped awake, thrown his glasses on, and run to the bathroom to get ready, but he couldn’t help falling prey to the ever-growing pit of dread in his stomach. Instead, he was fighting every second not to drag the blankets over his head and go back to sleep.

There seemed to be lead weights attached to his limbs as he rolled from the bed and let his feet hit the cold tile floor of the hospital. He couldn’t tell if it was his mind or his body that felt like dead weight, but he didn’t want to carry it.

There was something to be said for not being sick anymore, that was certain. But the last thing he wanted was to be thrown back into the real world that he’d been able to sit out on for so long. He’d missed so many friendships, not to mention class material, that he could’ve experienced if he’d never left in the first place. But it wasn’t even the leaving that was bothering him. He’d just wished the leaving had been permanent.

 

 

* * *

 

“Well then,” Mr. Reyes said. “Now that that’s out of the way, I’d like to introduce our new transfer student to you all.” Richard gazed nervously around the classroom, not letting himself look at any of his new classmates for too long. There were so many eyes on him… He grasped the straps of his backpack tighter and finally settled his gaze on the floor. 

“I hope you find everything okay here, Mr…” Mr. Reyes looked down at the piece of paper in his hand. “Richard Goranski.” Richard nodded and bit his lip. He didn’t see why any of this was necessary. He just wanted to be able to get through the day without being made fun of or noticed. 

“Would anyone like to volunteer to show Richard around today?” Mr. Reyes asked the class. Richard dared to look up. No one spoke up or raised their hands. One guy coughed, causing a few of the teens to chuckle under their breath. This was a nightmare. 

“I-I will!” 

Richard’s eyes flickered over to the direction of the voice and saw a pale, slender boy raising his hand, looking just as shocked as everyone else that he’d spoken up. 

“Excellent, Mr. Heere,” Mr. Reyes said. “I’ll write you a pass so you can be exempt from your morning classes.”

“Aw, what?” another boy in a red hoodie protested. “You should have said so!” 

“Alright, dismissed,” Mr. Reyes said. “Head to your first periods, please.” Richard awkwardly stepped out of the way of the sea of teenagers all bolting for the door. He supposed he had no choice but to wait for that boy. After most of the class, the teacher included, had left the room, he could see him talking to that other boy in the red hoodie.

“... just because he’s cute-”

“That’s  _ not  _ the reason-”

“Hey, no judgement from me, amigo, I’m just-”

“Michael, he’s right over there!”

Both boys abruptly halted their conversation and turned to face him. Richard wished he could just disappear. He didn’t know how to talk to these people.

“See you at lunch?” the boy in the red hoodie called to his friend.

“Yeah!” the lanky boy called back. The boy in red grinned and pulled some white headphones onto his ears. As he approached Richard, he gave him a small smile and set a firm hand on his shoulder. 

“Welcome to hell,” he said seriously, but not unkindly. He shot Richard some finger guns, and then turned to leave.  _ What is wrong with everyone here? _

“Uh…” the other boy said timidly. Richard turned towards him, and got his first really good look at the boy.  _...huh. Hello. _

The first thing Richard noticed were his eyes. They were a striking bright blue, that reminded him of clear skies and quiet seas and all that was worth observing on a quiet day. His gaze then fell on the sprinkling of freckles that covered the boy’s face and trailed down his neck. Richard had to stop himself from letting his eyes trail any further downward. 

“Hi,” the boy said, giving him a kind, but nervous smile. “I guess I’m showing you around, huh?” He let out an awkward chuckle and scratched the back of his neck. Richard followed the movement with his gaze and found himself longing to run his fingers through the boy’s hair just like that. 

“Yeah, I guess,” Richard said. He mentally kicked himself for choosing a word that ended in “s”. This boy would probably think he was a loser now...

“I’m Jeremy.” He held out a hand for Richard to shake. “Jeremy Heere.”

He nodded and broke eye contact.  _ Jeremy… _ The name felt important. Maybe it wasn’t anything special, a completely average boy’s name. But nothing felt average about Jeremy.

Or maybe he was just getting a crush. A really, really bad crush. Great.

“It was… Richard, right?”

He nodded again.

“You have a nickname or anything?”

“No…”

“Well, could I call you something? Maybe ‘Rich’?” He paused a second to read over his face. “There’s nothing wrong with Richard or anything! It just feels… old? It’s just like, literally my grandpa’s name. I didn’t know if something different would-”

Rich cut him off. “Rich is fine. I like it.”

The blush in Jeremy’s cheeks faded a little bit and he gave another nervous smile. “Okay, I’m glad. Rich it is.”

 

* * *

 

“So, how’s your first week been, then?” Jeremy asked. He stirred his bubble tea and let the little pearls at the bottom swish around the cup like rain and bump into the sides. 

“I… don’t know…” Rich said. He looked down at his coffee and bit his lip. “I feel like I just keep embarrassing myself. I’m really behind on the curriculum… and I had to get a waiver for gym class. And people keep making fun of my lisp. I’m a loser.”

“Don’t say that,” Jeremy chided him. “You missed stuff in the hospital. That doesn’t make you stupid.” He pulled the straw from his cup and pointed it at Rich’s chest. “Or a loser.” 

“Michael doesn’t even like me,” Rich said, pouting a little. “I can tell.”

“He’s just jealous,” Jeremy said, waving a hand dismissively. “I’ve never had another guy friend before. He likes you fine, though, trust me.” Rich wasn’t so sure. He sipped his coffee. 

“He didn’t even come along,” Rich pointed out weakly.

“Yeah…” Jeremy looked away.  _ Is he blushing?  _ “I uh… kind of… asked him… not to come?”

“Oh,” Rich said.  _ Don’t ask why. That would be intrusive. Maybe he doesn’t want to talk about why.  _ “Why?”  _ Shit. _

“I mean!” Jeremy practically screeched. “I just thought it’d be fun, you know...I mean I see Michael all the time and I still need to get to know you. I mean, I guess he does too… you just said you don’t think he knows you all that well...But I just thought it’d be fun to...y-know…” Jeremy made a vague, swirling gesture with the hand which wasn’t holding his tea and trailed off. Rich just kind of shrugged. He was trying to follow, but… 

“No,” Jeremy said, mostly to himself. “I said I’d be more confident. So uh… here goes. I was hoping… or, I wanted to ask if… You’d maybe want to consider this a date?”

Rich felt hot and cold all at once as a wave of shock traveled down his spine. He wanted this, of  _ course  _ he wanted this, and he’d thought he felt…  _ something _ back from Jeremy, but he’d never expected...this. He opened his mouth, “I-”

Jeremy’s phone buzzed on the table, and Rich went quiet. He picked it up without hesitation and furrowed his brow as he read what was on the screen. “Shit. I’m so sorry, but I have to go. I have to- I’m… Sorry.”

He shot Rich an apologetic smile, and left the coffee shop in a hurry. He didn’t even stop to pick up his tea, he just left it on the table next to Rich, dripping condensation as all the gears in his brain whirred in a desperate attempt to figure out what the hell just happened. 

 

* * *

 

Jeremy didn’t come back. He’d probably bailed as soon as he saw a bit of hope in Rich’s eyes and had grown disgusted with him. Maybe it was a joke or something. He didn’t know. He didn’t think Jeremy would do something so cruel to him, but that didn’t change the fact that he’d sat in that coffee shop alone for fifteen minutes, without a word from Jeremy about where he’d gone. 

_ He doesn’t care about you. You’re worthless. _

Rich kept walking down the sidewalk, staring at his feet. 

_ Yeah… I’m worthless. _

_ You should just die. _

_ I...should just… die…  _

_ Very good… then stay right there, would you? _

Rich snapped out of it. Was that a voice in his head? He looked around and realized in an instant that he was no longer on the sidewalk. He was…  _ what? What is all this?  _

Everything around him was tiled like a mosaic. The sky had taken on the haunting, clashing hues of stained glass windows. Pillars rose up from the ground, trapping him in one spot. 

“What’s happening?” he yelled, shaking uncontrollably. “Help! Somebody! Please…” He heard a horrible roar ricochet across the strange world, and Rich stiffened, entirely paralyzed with terror. A figure that looked like a pencil sketch of a teenager was stumbling towards him, and somehow, Rich knew that it meant to kill him. 

He closed his eyes and waited for the worst. 

_ BANG BANG BANG! _

“That was too close…”

“Hey bro, are you alright?”

Rich cracked open his eyes and adjusted his glasses. That first voice had almost sounded like… _ Jeremy? What is he doing here? And… what is that he’s wearing? _

“You’re safe now, I promise,” Jeremy said, offering Rich a gloved hand. “Rich.” The fingerless gloves were probably the least notable piece of the outfit. He wore bright white, well-pressed pants, and a white dress shirt with short, puffy sleeves. Overtop he had a soft blue vest with red seams that trailed down into two long, puffy coattails that almost reminded him of rabbit ears, tied off with a long blue bow on his back. And was that an archery bow he was carrying? 

“It’s getting away!” the taller boy in the cowboy outfit said. “Come on.” Jeremy nodded seriously and ran after the monster with the other boy. Jeremy pulled back his bow, and fired, a beam of light in the shape of an arrow appearing and penetrating the heart of the monster. The other boy began to pull rifles from nowhere, firing them one by one at the smaller attackers to ward them off. All Rich could do was watch in utter disbelief.

“How…”

“They’re magical boys,” a new voice said. He turned to see a small white cat-like creature sitting on the ground, watching the fight unfold with a neutral expression on his face. 

“It’s kind of awkward to have you find out this way…” Jeremy called, pulling back his bow once again as the other boy summoned an extra large canon and aimed at the heart of the monster. “Uh… don’t tell anyone!” Jeremy stammered out as he released the string, his magical(?) arrow striking the monster in time with the other boy’s attack, causing the monster to shrivel up and disappear with a final shriek. 

 

* * *

 

Jeremy was kind enough to walk Rich home, but he still hadn’t said anything about… well. About all the magic. Or whatever. At least he was in his normal, loose-fitting clothes again. That other outfit of his had been...distracting. 

“So…” Rich said in an attempt to break the tension.

“You think it’s weird, don’t you?” Jeremy groaned, voice filled with dread.

“Well… yeah. Kinda…” Rich trailed off. “But I don’t think  _ you’re  _ weird! It was really cool.. And you saved my life, so it’d be pretty mean to call you weird.” He stopped walking in front of his apartment complex and waited for Jeremy to meet his gaze. “Thank you for that… by the way.” 

“And the other thing?” Jeremy asked, still looking at the ground. “About me… wanting to go on a date with you. Was that weird?”

“Not as weird as the monster and all the magic,” Rich said, laughing nervously. “But… maybe a little. I don’t think I’m really worth asking out.” 

Jeremy finally looked up and gave him a small smile, relief flooding into his eyes. “If you weren’t worth it I wouldn’t have asked.” Rich felt an intense blush rise to his cheeks as Jeremy reached carefully for his hand and intertwined their fingers slowly. Then he stepped a bit closer, and Rich’s eyes widened as he felt Jeremy’s warmth breath on his cheek. 

“Kind of a shitty first date, huh?” Jeremy said.

“Best one I’ve ever had,” Rich laughed. “But I think we should… try again sometime?”

“Sure thing, short-ass,” Jeremy said. Then he took a step back, waving his hands and cringing. “Ah! Sorry! That was mean! God, why did I  _ say  _ that?”

“It’s fine,” Rich reassured him. “Besides...if I’m short-ass, then you’re  _ tall-ass _ .”

“What?” Jeremy protested. “I’m not even that tall!”

“You gave  _ me  _ a nickname!” Rich said. “I think you deserve one too.”

“At least Rich sounds cute,” Jeremy shot back. Rich flushed.  _ Oh geez…  _ He felt his cheeks heating up again and brought his hands up to cover his face. It was embarrassing how easily he got flustered…

“I promise I won’t ditch you again,” Jeremy sighed after a minute, shifting from foot to foot. Then he cringed. “No… I guess I can’t promise you that. I’m still really new at this. I just made my contract with Squip this week and-”

“It’s okay,” Rich said. He reached for Jeremy’s hand again and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “I get it. And… I thought you were amazing. Fighting that thing.”

“Really?”

“W-well...yeah.”

“Well, Rich...I think you’re pretty amazing too,” Jeremy said. He was impossibly close. Jeremy’s eyes drifted down to Rich’s lips, probably unintentionally. In a moment, Rich realized that he wanted this. He wanted Jeremy. 

“Back to the confidence thing... Can I?” Jeremy asked softly. Rich nodded. Jeremy traced Rich’s jaw carefully with his fingers and pulled him in close to meet his lips. The kiss was short, messy, and more than a little inexperienced, but to Rich, it was everything.

 

* * *

 

It had come out of nowhere… a horrible monster, worse than anything they’d ever seen before. How could Jake and Jeremy have been prepared for something like that? And now…

Rich was choking on a gasp that was stuck in his throat, never escaping. He couldn't comprehend this. It was unfair...it was awful.

“I’d better go,” Jeremy said seriously, standing up. Rich kept staring at Jake. His eyes were wide with fear, now glazed over. The soul gem attached to his cowboy hat was shattered, and his body was beaten and bleeding all over. 

“No…” Rich said shakily, reaching to grab Jeremy’s arm. “You can’t…”

“I have to,” Jeremy said, wiping away his tears. “I don’t have a choice! Someone needs to fight that thing!”

“But… but Jake…” Rich breathed, turning to face the corpse once again. “He’s… you could… I can’t let…” His words were swallowed up by rising sobs. Jeremy pulled him quickly into a hug and petted his hair. 

“I have to protect everyone,” Jeremy whispered against Rich’s cheek. “I have to protect you, too. I’m the only one who can beat Walpurgisnacht now.” Jeremy pulled Rich into a kiss, which he easily reciprocated, but the tears pouring down his face kept him from enjoying their shared moment. 

“Let’s just run away together…” Rich said weakly. “Somewhere we don’t need to worry about monsters or anyone else… please?”

He was lying to himself. He knew it was impossible, that Jeremy would never do that to the people of their town… and Rich wouldn’t want him to. But the thought helped ease the ache in his heart, just the tiniest bit.

“Rich…” Jeremy started. He gave Rich a smile that was genuine, but full of sadness. “I’m really glad I found you. Even if… I can’t win… I’m really glad that I saved you that day. That you were okay and we shared this… wonderful month. I... I love you. You don’t have to say it back. I know it’s… ridiculously soon. But I  _ know _ that I know you. And I need you to know that I love you, just as you are.”

“Jeremy…”

“Goodbye, Rich,” Jeremy said. He turned around and faced the monster. “Take care of yourself once I’m gone, okay? Make this worth it. You’re… the one I really want to protect.”

Jeremy leapt away, Rich wanted to imagine he was just taking off, flying away to somewhere he could never be hurt again. Then he pulled out his bow and Rich’s knees collapsed underneath him.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Shortly after the sky had cleared, Rich found Jeremy’s body lying among the rubble and still puddles of rainwater. He was in his normal clothes again, the soul gem clenched in his hand, shattered. Rich fell to the ground and let out a wail of anguish. 

“You dumbass!” Rich cried. He took off his glasses as his eyes clouded with tears. “You knew you were gonna die and you still…” He heaved out some heavy breaths, his whole body overtaken by panic. “It should have been me...not...not you...never you…” He rested his face on Jeremy’s chest and cried into the material, clutching Jeremy’s sweater like it was all he had left. “I’d...I’d do anything…”

“Do you really mean that, Richard Goranski?” Rich didn’t look up, but he heard Squip approaching behind him. “I can help you, you know. If you really mean that.” 

At that, Rich slowly sat up and replaced his glasses, looking at Squip through watery eyes.

“Y-you can’t help me,” he said. “Not unless you can…”

“I can’t bring him back,” Squip said. “But if you make a contract with me, your wish might be able to.”

Rich looked over at Jeremy once again and was hit with another wave of despair. It couldn’t be… he couldn’t be dead.

“It’s m-m-my fault…” he sobbed. “I just...I just wish I could have been useful! I didn’t even-” he paused to wheeze out a few particularly heavy sobs. “I didn’t even do anything! I let him die! I j-just...I wish I could go back and fix this. To become strong enough to p-protect him…” He looked up from the body and addressed Squip shakily. “Please… please help me, Squip.” 

Squip looked at him with those same unblinking eyes, and after a moment, Rich felt something strange moving inside of him. His jaw dropped in awe as an orange glowing mass emerged from his chest and changed into the familiar shape of a soul gem.

“The contract has been completed,” Squip said. “Take it. This is now your destiny, Richard Goranski.” Hand trembling, Rich reached out his hand and grabbed it.

 

* * *

 

**Timeline 2**

 

Rich’s eyes snapped open and he floundered to take in the harsh glow of his surroundings. It all came rushing back in an instant.  _ Jeremy!  _ He sat up in bed and looked around hurriedly. He was back in the hospital, back to where the whole nightmare had started. He was holding something… he opened his hand and saw his soul gem sitting there.  _ It wasn’t a dream… this is real. I really am back here. Which means…  _ He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and hopped to his feet. He had work to do.

 

* * *

 

“Well then,” Mr. Reyes said. “Now that that’s out of the way, I’d like to introduce our new transfer student to you all.”

Rich wasn’t listening to Mr. Reyes, his eyes were scanning the classroom, tuning in to each individual face until…  _ There. _ His knees felt weak seeing him there again. Jeremy was alive.  _ It worked. _

He spoke up before Mr. Reyes could go any further. “Rich Goranski.” Then, he took off down the rows of desks, stopping right in front of Jeremy and taking his hands.  _ God, his hands. _ There was so much warmth, so much  _ life _ in those hands. He was never going to let go.

“Jeremy, it’s me. I made a contract with Squip. I’m going to help you fight!” He briefly presented the soul gem, glowing bright orange in his hands, then he leapt forward without hesitation and placed his lips squarely on Jeremy’s. “I’m strong enough to protect you now.” He whispered, forehead pressed tight to Jeremy’s.

There was a stark silence from his boyfriend. He expected relief, maybe appreciation, or at least a little reciprocation when they kissed, but there was nothing. He pulled back and was struck by the dumbfounded expression on Jeremy’s beet red face.

He noticed Michael sitting behind him, eyebrows raised in complete shock with a hint of amusement mixed in. It was only then that it hit him.

_ Oh. Oh shit… I have to redo  _ everything.

 

* * *

 

It had been two days since Rich had doomed his mission to start over with Jeremy. It wasn’t because of a monster or anything,  _ no  _ it was because he was apparently too much of a dumbass to realize that Jeremy wouldn’t remember him. He was on his own now… he supposed he could at least try to find Jake -- then at least he wouldn’t be alone. He had to fight monsters now too. Rich swallowed and realized his breathing was growing heavy.  _ Why did I think I could do this?  _

“Uh… hey…” 

Rich jumped in his chair, whirling around to see Jeremy standing there, giving him a odd look. Rich’s breathing began to speed up to the point where he felt like he was suffocating. He wasn’t just going to have a panic attack, oh no, he was going to have a panic attack in front of his former boyfriend. His former boyfriend who didn’t remember him. Who he’d kissed in front of the class. Rich strongly considered bolting for the bathroom. 

“Woah woah! Are you having a panic attack? Rich? It was Rich, right?” He looked up at Jeremy and tried to focus on his breaths. Surprisingly, Jeremy sat down next to him and grabbed his hand, maintaining eye contact. “Hey, just focus on me… deep breaths…” Rich nodded and kept holding his gaze, breaths slowing but heart pounding impossibly faster. But just a few minutes of Jeremy’s presence did wonders. 

“I’m...I’m sorry…” Rich mumbled out eventually. 

“No no! It’s okay. I tend to get panic attacks too… I know how hard it can be.” 

“I’m sorry about that thing two days ago!” Rich blurted before he could stop himself. “I don’t know what I was doing and I just-”

“Rich. It’s fine. I know you were in the hospital and stuff so it must be weird for you to be part of society again, right?”

“Yes,” Rich said quickly. “That is the reason. That is the reason I did that.” 

“Actually… I wanted to ask you about that thing you showed me,” Jeremy said hesitantly. His eyes darted back and forth and he even turned around to ensure there were no eavesdroppers. “That was a soul gem, wasn’t it?” 

Rich felt like he might panic again. 

“Y-yeah,” Rich said. He hesitantly reached into his pocket and produced his soul gem, setting it on the table. Jeremy smiled back at him and did the same. Rich’s heart melted a bit when he saw that familiar blue shine. 

“I only just made my contract,” Jeremy said. “Last night. I’m going to train with this other guy, Jake, after school. Do you want to come?”

“Yes!” Rich said enthusiastically. Jeremy grinned and stuffed his soul gem back into his backpack. “I’m brand new at this too,” Rich admitted. “I’d like to learn alongside another magical boy…”

“Yeah,” Jeremy said. “Wow. That was weird, just telling you like that. Guess my secret’s out, huh?” Rich laughed good-naturedly, then cut it off abruptly when Jeremy took his hand. “And I guess while I’m being brave… um…” He swallowed and squeezed Rich’s hand. “You’re… uh… a good kisser.”

 

* * *

 

“So, Rich! Let’s see what you got!” Jake gestured to the empty oil drum that was sitting across the warehouse. Rich blinked and adjusted his glasses. He hadn’t thought this through. He had no idea how to do this. “What kind of weapon do you have?” Jake prompted, seeming to pick up on Rich’s nervousness. Rich turned to him, and that million-dollar smile almost made him want to be sick. All he could see was Jake lying on the ground, skin a deathly white, eyes glazed over in fear. Rich shuddered and cleared his throat. 

“I… I don’t know,” Rich realized. “I’ve never...um… done any of this before.” He bit his lip. “D-Do I have to go first?”

“You’ll be fine, bro,” Jake reassured him. “I promise. Using magic is all about just trusting your instincts. Just do your best -- we’ll go from there.” Rich nodded mutley and closed his eyes. He focused on his soul gem. It was like a little pocket of energy, something he could focus on… power hiding in there like potential energy. If only he knew how to bring it out…  _ Bring the energy out.  _

Even with his eyes closed, Rich could see the flash. His eyes snapped open and he gasped. He’d done it… he’d successfully transformed. He examined his new garments only for a moment before turning his attention to the shield attached to his left arm. 

“Alright, Rich!” Jeremy called. “You did it!” 

“Okay, now just take out that oil drum. Any way you can!” Rich swallowed and turned back to face it. He didn’t really know what came next. He’d feel kind of stupid just trying to summon weapons from midair.  _ Trust my instincts, huh? _

He brought his right hand up and let it trace the mechanism on the front of his shield. Something clicked and the gears turned and then froze with a couple rapid clicking sounds.  _ Great… what did that do? That didn’t do anything. _

“Jake, I don’t think-” His words died on his tongue. Jake wasn’t moving. Jeremy wasn’t either. He walked over to them to look closer. They weren’t even blinking… they didn’t look like they were breathing!  _ No no no what did I do?  _ Rich looked around frantically, eyes growing wide when he realized that nothing was moving. It was all… frozen… frozen in time.  _ Just like my wish…  _ Then he understood. Letting out a long sigh, Rich walked over to the oil drum. He picked up a nearby lead pipe and began to beat up the drum. He hit it as hard as he could, but it always froze in midair as soon as the pipe broke contact with it. 

He dropped the pipe, already winded, and walked back over to where Jake and Jeremy were standing, motionless. He reached for his shield released the mechanism. In an instant, the oil drum fell to the ground with a loud bang. Jeremy gave a yelp of fright next to him and Jake jumped in place, looking wildly between Rich and the destroyed oil drum. 

“How did you…” Jeremy gasped.

“I uh…” Rich said, fidgeting with the sleeves of his outfit. “Stopped time?”

“Woah…” Jeremy breathed. “That’s…  _ woah. _ That’s amazing. I just have a dumb bow and arrows.” 

“They’re not dumb!” Rich laughed, scratching the back of his neck. “You’re amazing too…” Jeremy chuckled a bit in response, a small blush dusting his cheeks. 

“Time magic might be hard to fight with…” Jake mused, his face scrunched a bit in thought. “Is that shield your only weapon?”

“I think so…” Rich said. His smile dropped almost instantly. With all his guns, Jake was like a one-man army. But Rich’s ability was pretty useless when it came to fighting offensively. 

“No matter,” Jake said, shooting him a smile. “We’re a team! Your ability will be great in a supporting role. If things get sticky, you’ll be our last line of defense.”  _ No… no I have to fight. I have to become strong.  _ Rich risked a small glance at Jeremy.  _ I can’t protect you by just staying on the sidelines. _

“No. I’m going to fight,” he said. “I...I’ll figure something out.”

“Well… okay, dude,” Jake said. “Whatever suits you, I guess. Heere, you’re up!” Jeremy nodded and produced his soul gem. As he passed Rich, he placed a firm hand on his shoulder. 

“What, no good luck kiss?” Jeremy teased. Rich choked out a few noises, but couldn’t articulate any of his millions of panicked thoughts. Jeremy just laughed lightly and leaned forward quickly to peck Rich on the lips.  _ Jeremy…  _ As Jeremy transformed and advanced on another oil drum, bow in hand, Rich remembered why he’d made the contract. Why he was going to fight.  _ Where the hell am I going to find weapons? _

 

* * *

 

Rich did his best to steady his shaking hands as he picked up the PVC pipe and looked up at the instructions on the computer screen once again. He ran a trembling finger shakily along the fuse.  _ For Jeremy, for Jeremy, for Jeremy.  _

 

 

* * *

 

 

“Rich! Now!” Jake called. Rich nodded and clicked his shield into place, slowing everything to a precarious halt around him.  _ This better work…  _ He ran up to the huge monster in front of them, breathing heavily. He was almost right in front of it… it was the moment of truth. He reached behind his shield, where there seemed to be a pocket dimension of sorts, and produced one of his homemade bombs. He activated it with profusely sweaty hands and threw it as hard as he could towards the monster. It stopped in midair, right in front of it. Heart pounding with adrenaline, Rich turned and began to run back to a safe distance, releasing time as he continued running, eyes squeezed tightly shut.  _ Please explode… please… _

After a few seconds, there was a loud boom from behind and a wave of heat from the explosion. Rich looked back and saw the smoke clearing, revealing the monster, beginning to shrivel away until it was nothing but a lone grief seed. 

“I-I did it?” Rich said shakily as the labyrinth faded.

“You did it!” Jeremy yelled, running in from the side and capturing Rich in a hug. Rich leaned into his embrace, relishing Jeremy’s warmth and the electric shock their touching skin gave him. Then Jeremy let go and used his gloved hand to tuck some of Rich’s hair behind his ear.

“T-tall-ass,” Rich said nervously. Jeremy beamed at him.

“Can I kiss you?” Jeremy asked. “I know  _ you’re  _ not one for asking permission but-” Rich cut him off by meeting his lips first, hoisting himself onto his tiptoes for the best angle. Jeremy giggled a bit against his mouth as he returned the kiss enthusiastically. 

“Um,” Jake said awkwardly behind them. They broke apart immediately. “Should we divvy up the grief seed?”

 

* * *

 

“R-rich…” Jeremy mumbled out through his pained twitches as he writhed on the ground. Rich grabbed Jeremy’s hand desperately. He didn’t appear to be that hurt physically.  _ So why… _

“I’m right here, Jer,” Rich said, squeezing Jeremy’s hand. “What’s wrong? Can’t you heal?” Jeremy cringed and writhed around some more, his fist uncurling a bit to reveal his soul gem, which was a deep, horrible black.

“W-Why…” Jeremy sobbed. Then he let out a yell and Rich was blown back by a wave of energy. When he opened his eyes, he saw a sight he had hoped with all his soul he would never have to see again - the love of his life on the ground, dead. And rising from the corpse was a grief seed. 

_ What? No. NO. Jeremy!  _ Rich reached for his shield and turned the mechanism back. 

 

* * *

 

**Timeline 3**

 

Rich sat up in the hospital with a terrified gasp. His chest rose and fell rapidly as he wheezed out accelerating breaths. The room around him looked fuzzy as he held his throbbing head in his hands.  _ It’s not true… it can’t be true… why? Why?  _ He uncurled his hand to look at his soul gem, which looked like nothing more than a smeared orange light with his glasses off and eyes full of tears. He closed his eyes and curled in on himself as he remembered how Jeremy’s soul gem had snapped and transformed into a grief seed before his very eyes. They had fought off Walpurgisnacht with the help of Jake and that other girl he hadn’t caught the name of… but Jeremy had used too much magic and his soul gem had gone dark. 

_ Mine could too.  _ Rich buried his face in his pillow and heaved out another sob.  _ My soul gem is bright for now, but for how long?  _ It was noticeably darker already than when he’d last checked it. Resetting the timeline took a lot out of him. 

Rich grabbed his pillow and hugged it close to his chest, longing for Jeremy, longing for someone,  _ anyone  _ to take his hand, play with his hair, and tell him everything was going to be okay. But he was alone. Everything was back at zero.  _ I have to find Squip and talk to him about this. I have to find Jake and warn him. I have to find Jeremy so I can have someone. I have to get a grief seed so I don’t…  _

Rich’s thoughts got lost in his sobbing. When a nurse came to find him and inquire about whether he would be departing that day to go to school and settle into his apartment, he couldn’t even bring himself to answer her. 

 

* * *

 

He didn’t come to school for another week. When he walked into homeroom, Squip was sitting on Jeremy’s desk and Rich’s heart sank. Jeremy had already made a contract. Jeremy didn’t know the truth about monsters. 

_ Squip,  _ Rich thought with as much authority as he could muster. _ I know you can hear me. We need to talk.  _ Squip turned his head and looked right at Rich, his unblinking stare sizing him up. Rich’s bottom lip started trembling slightly, but he stood his ground.  _ How could you… how could you trick us… you- _

“Mr. Goranski?” Rich was pulled from his thoughts by Mr. Reyes, who was looking at him tiredly. “Are you quite alright? I asked you if you need anyone to show you around.”

“R-right,” Rich said. His eyes flickered over to Jeremy, who looked like he was texting underneath his desk. “I… think I’ll be fine.” The bell rang and the students poured out of the classroom. Jeremy gave him a shy smile as he passed, Squip perched on his shoulder, cutting into Rich with his emotionless stare. 

_ Richard Goranski, was it?  _ Squip thought at him as Jeremy turned to leave.  _ If you want to talk, I will find you.  _

 

* * *

 

Squip came to his apartment that night, all by himself. Rich thought he was prepared for the confrontation, but there was so much authority in that unbreakable gaze of Squip’s… if only Rich could be as unshakable. But he knew that was impossible. 

“This is quite a surprise,” Squip remarked as he entered and made himself comfortable on the small table in the kitchen. It was bare, like the rest of the furniture. Rich didn’t know how it could be so refreshing and so unsettling at once. On one hand, he reveled in the absence of dirty bowls and empty beers scattered on every flat surface, but on the other hand, the lack of anything at all in his living space reminded him that everything he’d done so far since getting out of the hospital was for nothing. He’d never want his old home or his late father back, but he figured he might as well be back there with how useless his efforts were proving to be.

For a second, Rich felt an overwhelming fatigue spread through every inch of his being and he shook his head to clear it. He had to focus on figuring out what to say to Squip…  on rationalizing what he’d learned. 

“You’re experiencing the beginnings of despair,” Squip noted. “And you said I had ‘tricked’ you. Whatever did you mean by that?” He cocked his head and smirked a little bit, causing Rich’s throat to close up a bit with fear. “I’ve never even met you before, Rich Goranski.”

“I-I…” 

“This is quite irregular. I have no memory of making a contract with you. And yet you’re here all the same.” Squip stepped closer, making Rich shrink under his scrutinizing gaze. “But it’s best you forget whatever you thought you saw, now isn’t it? After all, there’s more than one way for a soul gem to go dark.”

“You-”

“You’re beginning to fall into despair, as I said. You’re losing hope in whatever wish I granted you, and once you completely succumb to your own despair, your soul gem will transform into a grief seed. If you tell them, you’ll only be speeding up the process.”

“You….you’re lying…” Rich said, hands shaking. “That’s not… you…”

“I could be lying,” Squip said. “But do you really want to take that chance? To take responsibility for their deaths if that knowledge leads them to despair?” Squip shook his head and began to pace in a circle. “You don’t have a lot of time left to tell anybody, regardless. You appear to be quite emotionally weak.” Rich hurriedly pulled out his soul gem and paled when he saw a small black void growing in the middle of the orange gem. 

“Now if you’ll excuse me,” Squip said. “I have to get back to Jeremy.” Squip slunk into the shadows and disappeared from sight. Rich heaved out a few more breaths, then focused on stilling his shaking hands.  _ Jeremy.  _

Rich could handle this. He could never let Jeremy know the truth, but he could handle this. After all, as long as they worked together, they wouldn’t have to use so much magic that they exhausted their soul gems. Not until Walpurgisnacht at least… 

But he had learned one thing. He absolutely could not let himself fall into despair.  _ I said I was going to protect you. That’s more important than what might happen to me. I don’t have time to dwell on that.  _

He let out a sigh, retraining his mind on his wish and Jeremy, the boy he desired. When he shakily brought his soul gem up to his eyeline again, the growing void in the middle was gone.

 

* * *

 

Rich grabbed Jeremy’s hand as Chloe stared them down. She was terrifying… though she’d helped them fight Walpurgisnacht last time, it was only because Jake was there, being his usual charismatic self. They had struck some sort of deal that probably involved sex. And that was mere hours before it descended, when all of them could feel the building threat hanging in the thick atmosphere. But Rich had no idea what to say to her -- all he could offer her was his word.

“You want me… to team up with you two?” Chloe said with a sarcastic laugh. “Yeah. No. Not gonna happen.”

“But-” Jeremy cut in, stepping in front of Rich. “R-Rich told me that a huge monster is coming in four days. And we… we really don’t think we can beat it alone.”

“You guys don’t get it, do you?” Chloe snapped. “I’m not  _ interested  _ in helping. I’m here because Jake kicked the bucket. I want this territory, and I’m not letting you two twinks take it from me.” Rich shivered as he relived the memory. The monster turning inside out, its sharp teeth clamping down over Jake’s neck before Rich could reach for his shield, warn him, or do anything. 

“We don’t want to fight you!” Jeremy cried, desperation creeping into his voice. “Can’t you just help us, just this once?” 

“Don’t want to fight me?” Chloe repeated incredulously. “That sounds like fun though. Come on, skinny. Let’s see what you’ve got.”

“Jeremy!” Rich said, clutching his arm. “Let’s just leave. We’ll find someone else.” 

“Aw, look who was a concerned boyfriend,” Chloe mocked. “Don’t make me vomit. Now, you can fight me, or I’ll fight you. It’s your choice, really.”

“Rich, I’ll be okay. I can take her.” Jeremy gave Rich’s hand a squeeze as he stepped forward to face Chloe, pulling out his soul gem with a scowl. 

“Actually, now that I think about it…” Chloe said, making a show of bringing her finger to her chin in a thoughtful position. “I’d rather not waste my time.” Before Rich could do anything, Chloe snatched Jeremy’s soul gem out of his hand and chucked it at the wall of the building. Jeremy cried out in surprise and Rich watched with horror as the gem shattered on impact, the pieces falling unceremoniously to the ground. 

Then Jeremy fell forward onto the cold ground. Rich ran forward to him, hoping with all his heart that what he’d suspected for while just couldn’t be the truth. 

“T-tall-ass?” Rich asked quietly, shaking Jeremy’s unmoving form. His eyes were glazed over and his body was lifeless. “H-h-hey tall-ass. Get up.” Chloe walked over to the body, her eyes wide. 

“What…” she said with a growing horror in her voice. “What happened to him? I…”

“Jeremy!” Rich yelled through his tears, shaking his motionless body even harder. “Jeremy!”

 

* * *

 

**Timeline 5**

 

“Come here,” Jeremy said. Rich leaned into him and Jeremy messed with his hair, rucking it up. This was what made his wish worth it. Jeremy being warm, alive, and right next to him. Rich traced his fingers down Jeremy’s arms and cherished the tenderness of his light skin. 

“I’m a little nervous,” Rich said. 

“Y-yeah,” Jeremy said, blood rushing to his face and neck. He shivered under Rich’s touch. “Me too.”

“But you wanna-” Rich trailed off and met Jeremy’s earnest ocean-blue eyes. There was so much passion in them. With every timeline, they grew closer, and those eyes got a little fuller. Rich’s breath caught as Jeremy leaned in close and whispered against his cheek. 

“Yeah. I do.”

Rich gave Jeremy a small smile and lifted his shirt over his head. 

 

* * *

 

**Timeline 17**

 

“Jake’s so cool…” Jeremy sighed, elbowing Rich. “He’s like… a male model. What the fuck.” Rich nodded and bit his lip, watching Jake doing target practice on the other end of the empty warehouse. He took off his hat and wiped the beads of sweat that had accumulated on his brow. Jeremy wasn’t wrong… His biceps shifted underneath the tight fitting dress shirt with the motion, and Rich couldn’t help but stare. Once he started looking… it was hard to stop. 

But one sidelong glance at Jeremy was all it took to steal away his attention. Rich couldn’t blame Jeremy, but it was still painful to read the desire in his eyes as he watched Jake’s demonstration, knowing there was nothing he could do to capture it and keep Jeremy all to himself. That was never part of the contract. Rich didn’t know how he’d changed or what he did wrong this time, but he wasn’t enough anymore. Jeremy must have sensed the guilt and sorrow weighing down Rich’s heart and realized he wasn’t worth the trouble. 

He tore his gaze away and fixed it on the ground. Softly, and slowly enough that Jeremy wouldn’t notice, he ran his hand over the skin on his wrist. For just a moment, he allowed himself to give into the ache of recalling what it felt like to hold Jeremy’s hand, or the gentle thumping of his heart as they laid next to one another in the dark.

And then he let go.

If there was one thing each new timeline taught him, it was that somehow, he really was getting stronger. Fighting was still excruciating, but little by little he was learning how to hold his own. More than that, he had learned to keep his distance. Not completely, not always, but just enough. He just had to keep reminding himself that it didn’t matter how Jeremy saw him now, all that mattered was keeping him safe long enough to make sure he’d never have to reset again. Then, and only then, he could put everything he had into Jeremy. If that meant for now he’d have to watch him drool over Jake, that’s just what he’d do.

Besides, if he and Jeremy weren’t technically together now, there wasn’t really anything wrong with him drooling too, was there? 

“You guys ready to get in here?” Jake called. 

“What!?” Jeremy practically screeched. 

“Yes!” Rich affirmed in a stark, almost militaristic tone. “I uh… need some target practice. I’m thinking about trying to use guns too…” 

“Awesome, dude!” Jake called. “Come here.”

Rich swallowed his anticipation and cast a sidelong glance at Jeremy before walking over to where Jake had been aiming at soda cans. When Rich approached, Jake patted him good-naturedly on the back. Rich stiffened under the touch and gingerly accepted Jake’s rifle with trembling hands. 

“You ever done this before?”

“Not exactly.”

“That’s fine,” Jake said with a laugh. “I’ll help you.” Jake gently grabbed Rich’s arms and coaxed them into place on the rifle. Then Jake moved his hands up to Rich’s shoulders to hold them in place. “Just relax for now. Focus on the target, see? Don’t worry about doing it right the first time, because you’ll get it eventually. Just go for it. Your form looks good so far.”

Rich squeezed his eyes shut and pulled the trigger.

 

* * *

 

Jake’s image was the slightest bit blurred through the steam rising off of Rich’s coffee. Like he was up close and far away all at once.  _ Like Jeremy… _ He blew across the surface and took a deep sip. 

“So you’ve really never seen one before?” He carded his fingers through his hair and shook it out.

“Never even heard of one. Where did you say you’d learned about them?” Jake asked.

At some point, he’d decided he’d seen Jeremy fight the Walpurgisnacht one too many times. No matter how hard they’d trained, or how many bombs Rich threw at it, it always managed to take Jeremy from him. The only way was to leave him out of the equation altogether.

Rich ignored Jake’s question. “But you agree with me, right? He’s just not ready for a fight that big. I don’t want to…” He paused and took a breath. “We can take it by ourselves, he needs more time to train.”

“Okay, bro. You know him better than I do. I can trust you on this one.” Jake sipped his coffee thoughtfully, and Rich swallowed hard as he watched his muscles shift from just the simple act of setting his coffee down.

“Thank you.”

It hadn’t been hard to sneak away for this. He still couldn’t pinpoint what it was about him, but Jeremy wanted nothing to do with him now. Somewhere deep inside of Rich, it left a sharp, searing pain. But it was what he needed to keep him safe. He couldn’t let himself hurt over that.

Jake clenched his jaw for a moment, then spoke again. “Just wondering… You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to but… is he… are you two…?”

“He’s single.” Rich bit the inside of his cheek and glared out the window.  _ Of course. Of course this is what happens when he doesn’t want me. I deserve this. _

“Oh. I didn’t realize…” He didn’t turn back to check if Jake was looking at him.

“I have to go.” Rich stood abruptly, leaving his coffee on the table.

_ This is what I deserve. I can’t be what Jeremy needs. It has to be Jake- not even Jake, just someone  _ better _. As long as he’s alive, that’s all that matters. _

 

* * *

 

Rich blinked up at the dark ceiling and shivered a bit underneath the covers. He supposed it wouldn’t be too weird to seek warmth in the boy laying next to him, but when he thought about what he’d done… he felt wrong.

“Rich?” Jake said sleepily. “You awake?” Rich briefly considered feigning sleep, but forced himself to roll on his side and meet Jake’s eyes. He owed him that much.

“You don’t look that awake yourself,” Rich retorted.

“You wore me out,” Jake moaned sleepily, a tired grin spreading across his face. Rich tried to smile too, but…

“I’m sorry,” Rich whispered into the dark. Jake didn’t respond. He squeezed his eyes shut.  _ I’m sorry I used you just now. I’m sorry I don’t love you like I love him.  _

“Sorry?” Jake said eventually. “What?”

“It’s just that you’ve always been so nice to me,” Rich said. “But… there’s nothing I can do for you.” He felt his hands begin to shake, so he pulled them in close, turning away from Jake once again.

“What do you mean?” Jake asked, sounding like he was falling asleep again.

“Don’t worry about it,” Rich whispered. “It’ll be over again soon.”

 

* * *

 

**Timeline 20**

 

Maybe it was selfish, wanting to tell someone. But things were getting desperate. He needed to figure out what to do, how to keep Jeremy happy and safe despite their predicament of being soulless husks that would eventually become monsters. And Michael… well. Michael seemed very relaxed and easy to talk to. There was also the fact that Rich had never gotten to know him that well. He’d never had to watch Michael die.  _ Though,  _ he thought, eyeing the soul gem that hung above Michael’s belly button,  _ if I’m not careful, that might change.  _

After he finished laying it all out, Michael didn’t say anything. He just stared at Rich, a subdued horror behind his eyes, hidden just behind a layer of disbelief. Michael shifted his weight and raised an eyebrow at him.  _ So, he doesn’t believe me.  _

“Yeah… okay. You trying to freak me out? Is that what this is?” he asked. “It’s uh… not appreciated.” 

“No, of course not!” Rich said. “Why would I do that?” 

“I don’t know!” Michael replied, getting worked up. “Why  _ would  _ you tell me something like that? It doesn’t even make sense!” Rich blinked, not really knowing how to respond. 

“It’s the truth,” he said seriously. 

“Like hell,” Michael said. “If it  _ is  _ true, then how about you tell me why?”

“Wh-why?”

“What could Squip possibly have to gain by turning us into monsters and ripping out our souls? Doesn’t that seem a little far-fetched?” 

“I don’t know why!” Rich said, beginning to get frustrated. Why couldn’t Michael just believe him? “But I swear, it’s the truth!” Michael turned away from him and laughed dryly, his shoulders bouncing up and down a bit with the movement. 

“There you guys are,” Jake’s voice called. Rich turned to see Jeremy and Jake approaching them from the abandoned warehouse where they usually trained. “You guys ready to head out and look for monsters?” Michael crossed his arms and gave a little huff.

“Sorry,” he said. “It’s just that Rich here was making up some crazy shit that he just  _ needed  _ to tell me.” 

“Michael,” Jeremy said, narrowing his eyes. “Be nice.”

“I’m nice!” Michael protested. “I was also just gonna ask our pal Rich  _ very nicely  _ if he could use something other than those stupid bombs to fight with. It’s fine for you two, because you have long-range weapons, but I’m right up in the thick of things, and there’s always explosions going off in my face!”

“Sorry,” Rich mumbled. As peeved as he was the Michael wasn’t taking him seriously, he had a point there. And he supposed he really should try to become friends with Michael. He was Jeremy’s best friend for a reason, after all. “I promise I’ll figure something else out.” Michael met his eyes and his expression softened a bit.

“Okay,” he said. “Thank you.”

“Just catch up when you guys are ready, okay?” Jeremy said softly. He shot Michael a smile, and then gave one to Rich too. Even after all the time he’d known Jeremy, meeting his gaze still made his heart flutter. When Jake and Jeremy were out of earshot, he heard Michael clear his throat. 

“Well… if it  _ is  _ the truth,” he said quietly, “I don’t want you breathing a word of it to Jeremy. He’s already upset because of the way his mom’s been acting, and if shitty emotions really turn you into… you know… then…”

“Right. I wasn’t planning on it. I’d never let him get hurt.”

“On second thought, don’t tell Jake either. God, why the fuck did you even tell me? That’s the most horrifying shit I’ve ever heard!” There was a growing panic behind Michael’s voice and Rich was suddenly all too aware that he’d made a grave mistake. 

“I don’t know!” Rich whispered back, also beginning to panic. “I had to tell  _ someone _ ! And you always seem so chill! And you have the new Bob Marley album that was ‘uncovered mysteriously’ to listen to. You’re the relaxed one!” 

“The fuck am I supposed to relax when my soul’s been ripped out?” Michael retorted. 

“Are you two okay?” Jeremy’s voice broke through. The two of them turned to see him eyeing them nervously, hands clenched on his bow. “What are you guys fighting about?”

“We’re not fighting, Jer,” Michael sighed, running a hand through his hair. He reached for Jeremy’s hand and grabbed it reassuringly. “We’re… we’re fine. We’re right behind you, okay?”

“Okay… if you’re sure.” 

As Jeremy left, Rich watched Michael’s eyes. Usually they were so guarded in a haze of comfort and casual happiness but there was something so raw in them… almost like…

“You’re in love with him,” Rich realized with horror.  _ That explains so much…  _

“Whaaat?” Michael said. “No. No, I’m not. No.” 

“That’s why you don’t like me…” Rich mused to himself under his breath. 

“Woah, woah. Okay. First of all, I’m not in love with Jeremy. That’s stupid. Second of all, if I was, I don’t think  _ you’d  _ be much competition for…” Michael gestured to himself and posed dramatically. “All. Of. This.” 

Rich frowned, not knowing what to say. Michael was either really relaxed… or he was really panicking and was trying to cover it up. 

“And third of all,” Michael continued. “I’d like you a heck of a lot more if you eased up on the bombs. Sound good?” Rich nodded, biting his lip and wondering where he should look for guns and ammunition. Fortunately, or perhaps unfortunately, they wouldn’t be that hard to find -- New Jersey had its fair share of bad neighborhoods. 

“Yeah,” Rich said. “Sounds great.”

 

* * *

 

“Michael!” Jeremy called as he dodged flying records. “Please, it’s us! You have to remember! Michael!” 

“Look out!” Chloe yelled from across the labyrinth. Rich’s heart pounded as he watched the monster summon dozens of records and command them forward towards Jeremy with its sword. Rich yelled and stopped time as he ran forward, producing a small handgun. He stood protectively in front of Jeremy, hand shaking as he tried to remember Jake’s instructions. He fired at each of the records, the bullets stopping in midair, all precisely aligned so Jeremy wouldn’t suffer any harm. Rich released his breath and the timeline at once, flinching as the gunshots all impacted the records at once, sending them flying back away from where Jeremy was standing. 

“R-Rich…” Jeremy said, relief flooding into his voice. The monster roared behind them, and Rich swallowed, knowing he couldn’t wait any longer. He used his shield to freeze time once again, carefully reaching into the magic pocket behind his shield and grabbing his most powerful bomb. He walked carefully up to where the monster was perched, weighed down by the knowledge that  _ he  _ had done this. That Michael had never had to die before, much less suffer like this as a monster. All because Rich needed to confide in someone.  _ Never again. _

“I’m sorry, Michael,” Rich whispered. He activated the bomb and threw it. Then as he walked away, he only allowed himself the few seconds of silence before the explosion to break down internally. 

The labyrinth died away as the monster did, and soon it was just the four of them: Jake, Jeremy, himself, and the newest addition to the ragtag team -- Chloe. Jake wasn’t saying anything. Now that Rich was thinking about it, he hadn’t helped at all in the fight. That didn’t make sense at all… Jake was always so altruistic. But he was just standing there, his gaze far away, one eye twitching. 

“Damn it!” Chloe yelled, kicking at the ground and dropping her spear in frustration. “Why?” Jeremy began silently sobbing, the reality of their situation finally setting in for him. Rich had to focus on keeping it together. He couldn’t allow himself to mourn, not when his emotional state was key to survival. He hadn’t even known Michael that well. But it still felt like something inside of him had snapped in half. 

Suddenly, golden ropes appeared out of nowhere and tightly held Rich’s limbs in place. He fought against them for a second before turning his gaze to Jake, seeking an explanation. But what he saw…

Jake’s eyes were streaming with tears, and there was something very alien in his expression. He was holding a rifle in trembling hands, eyes darting around. Chloe stepped forward, approaching Jake while wiping away some of her tears. 

“Jake! What are you-”

Jake turned and fired, the bullet hitting Chloe’s soul gem directly, shattering it. The light in her eyes died out and her transformation dropped as her body collapsed to the ground. Rich struggled for his shield, horrified, but he couldn’t budge. Jake summoned another gun and pointed it at the gem on Rich’s hand. 

“If… if… soul gems turn us into monsters…” Jake said, the crazed look in his eye only growing deeper as he sobbed. “Th...then we have no choice but to…die…” Jake heaved out a large sob, his arms trembling so much Rich thought he might lose his grip. “Both you… and me!”

“S-stop!” Rich stammered out, struggling against the ropes with all his might. “Don’t!” He met Jake’s eyes for a final moment, looking for any of his humanity left in there, but it was all clouded with a temporary insanity. Rich closed his eyes and prepared for the end. Distantly, he heard a shatter. 

But he didn’t stop hearing the sound of his own shaky breaths. The tight ropes that were holding him felt like they had just faded away. His eyes snapped open and he saw Jake, in his civilian clothes, dead on the ground, and Jeremy standing across from him, bow in hand with the bowstring still trembling. 

“Jeremy…” Rich breathed. 

“I can’t take this anymore!” Jeremy wailed, curling in on himself and falling to the ground, now sobbing ceaselessly into the dirt. Rich carefully made his way over to him, not knowing what to say. Never in all the timelines he’d traversed had he witnessed such a bloodbath. Rich sat down across from Jeremy as he cried into his hands, eventually reaching out and pulling him into a hug, which Jeremy shakily returned. 

“It’s okay…” Rich whispered, rubbing Jeremy’s back. A few tears of his own began to fall. “It’ll be okay.”

“You…” Jeremy said shakily. “You’ve lost people before right?” He didn’t meet Rich’s gaze, but hugged him even tighter.

“Yes,” Rich said. His mind flashed with image after image.  _ Jake. Chloe. Michael. Jeremy. Jeremy, Jeremy, Jeremy.  _ “My dad. And my mom when I was little.”

“It… gets easier, right?” Jeremy asked through another round of choked sobs. “It has to get easier… it has to…” Rich rested his head on Jeremy’s shoulder and allowed his tears to fall uninhibited for the first time in a long while.

“N-no…” he said quietly. “It never does.”

 

* * *

 

Even in their situation, Rich loved how it felt when their hands were touching. He glanced over at Jeremy, whose eyes were half-lidded as he winced in pain. Each of their soul gems, exposed in their outstretched hands, were nearly black in color. They were just lying there together in the puddles and rubble, watching ash rain down from the sky. They had done it… Walpurgisnacht was no more -- but they had both pushed themselves to their limits and were paying the price for it. 

Rich swallowed and let his eyes drift closed for a second. Jeremy had looked so amazing and powerful. It was strange… Rich couldn’t quite pinpoint when, but somehow Jeremy had grown in power in some timeline, to the point where his attacks could surpass Jake’s even on his first day of monster fighting. Rich shuddered. He shouldn’t think about Jake and speed up what was inevitable. 

“I guess… this is the end for us,” Jeremy croaked out. Despite his raspy voice, he seemed almost peaceful. Rich couldn’t understand… he was fine with dying… but if Jeremy had to as well… 

“Do you have any grief seeds?” Rich asked weakly. Jeremy shook his head. Rich used a bit of his waning strength to turn on his side and look Jeremy in the eye. 

“Hey…” he said. “How about… when we both turn into monsters… we just fuck up this unfair world, huh?” Tears began to form in his eyes, but he couldn’t bother removing his glasses to wipe them. “We can just… burn it all to the ground, until there’s nothing. Doesn’t that…” Rich closed his eyes again, almost wishing the darkness would take him right there. “Doesn’t that sound nice?”

He heard a small  _ clink  _ of metal, and he opened his eyes to see Jeremy holding a grief seed to Rich’s soul gem, letting the darkness seep out of the orange center. 

“J-Jeremy!” Rich said, feeling his strength beginning to restore. “You…. you can’t! Why would you… on me?”

“I lied earlier,” Jeremy said with a small laugh. “I had one left… but… I had to give it to you.” He paused a bit to cry out in pain, his fist twitching around his darkened soul gem. “I… I need you to do something for me. You… you can go back in time, right?” Rich’s eyes widened.

“H-how did you-”

“I had a hunch,” Jeremy said, voice quivering. “You just… you know me so well. And I feel like I know you too. I… I need you to stop me. Stop me from being a dumbass and making a contract… please…” 

“Anything…” Rich said seriously. “Anything for you…” Stopping Jeremy’s contract meant severing their bond. It meant that he wouldn’t get to spend time with Jeremy and he’d have to push him away even further for the sake of protecting him. But that was the only way to save Jeremy. He’d been avoiding that truth for far too long. “Anything for you…” Rich repeated, tears beginning to stream again. “I… I love you so much, Jeremy!” he yelled into the empty sky.  _ I will save you. No matter how many times I have to try. No matter how much we have to grow apart.  _

“You should have told me,” Jeremy laughed through his pained twitches. “Then… I wouldn’t have to die without ever being kissed.” Rich placed a hand over Jeremy’s dark soul gem and softly placed his lips on Jeremy’s, lingering on them and capturing their sweet texture and taste, knowing in the back of his mind that it might be the last time he ever got to do it. Jeremy reciprocated slowly, but soon had to pull away as he cringed through the pain. 

“Th-thank you…” Jeremy said weakly. Then he cried out again, arching his back and squeezing his eyes shut as he twisted and turned in pain. The jolts subsided for a bit, and Jeremy’s nearly dead eyes caught Rich’s a final time.

“C-c-can I ask you… one m-more thing?” he asked softly. Rich nodded furiously. “I-I… don’t want… to be a monster…” Jeremy slowly lifted his right arm that held his soul gem up to Rich’s eye line, shaking all the while. “Please…”

Rich gasped in horror, but knew he couldn’t deny the request. He transformed and felt another wave of sobs hit him, and he couldn’t stay quiet anymore. He cried louder as he pulled out a gun, nothing but his sorrow filling his brain as he aimed at the gem. As the bullet left the barrel of the gun in one explosive sound, Rich wailed out his last shred of innocence. 

 

 

* * *

 

 

**Timeline 21**

 

As soon as Rich opened his eyes to the familiar ceiling of the hospital, he rolled out of bed without hesitation. He grabbed his glasses off his nightstand and walked over to the window to glare at his reflection.  _ No one will believe me about the future.  _ It was because of the way he looked -- like a scared little kid. Like a nerd. He had to fix that.

He tore the glasses off his face and held his soul gem up to his eyes, using the magic stored within it to heal them. He blinked, and everything in the room was crisp and bright.  _ I wonder…  _ He focused his healing magic on his teeth, then pulled it away. 

“Mississippi,” he said. “Xbox. Antithesis.”  _ No lisp. I don’t sound like a goddamn child anymore.  _ He grabbed a bit of his hair and frowned. He hadn’t gotten it cut for a couple timelines. It was easy to forget meaningless things like personal upkeep when his mission was so important. He’d fix that when he had time. He remembered Jake had once told him that he’d look good with dyed hair. Jake was someone Jeremy respected. If Rich became more like Jake, maybe someone would fucking listen to him for once.

He didn’t bother healing the burn scars he’d acquired from the fight. He needed a reminder of what was at stake.

 

 

* * *

 

The first thing he did was hunt down Squip, who was staying with Jake, apparently. It wasn’t hard to snatch him. It was a matter of stopping time and grabbing the bastard by the neck to take it to a quiet alleyway where he could put a few extra holes in it. With a couple shots, Squip’s body collapsed and  _ god  _ was that therapeutic as shit. He should have done that long ago. Now it could never hurt anyone, especially Jeremy, ever again. He stepped back and stuffed the gun behind his shield again, releasing a breath. 

“I believe most humans would consider that rude.”

Rich pulled out a gun again and pointed it at the corpse in front of him. His hands were begging to shake but he wouldn’t let them. Not anymore.

“Who exactly are you?” Squip’s voice came from above. Rich looked up and saw… another Squip. It jumped down from the phone line it was sitting on and grinned up at Rich. 

“You…” Rich growled. He pointed his gun at the new Squip warningly. “If you know what’s good for you,” he said, voice dangerously low, “you’ll stay away from Jeremy Heere.” 

“Now that’s odd,” Squip said. “That’s who I was planning on visiting today. He has enormous magical potential.” Squip blinked slowly but didn’t break his intent gaze. “How will you make me stay away? Shoot me? Feel free. I have countless spare bodies. And honestly, you don’t look like the type who has the guts to stand up to me.” Rich pulled the trigger, reloaded, and shot it again. Then again. Then again. 

 

* * *

 

**Timeline 25**

 

“Jeremy!” he hissed outside the window. After a few seconds, Jeremy appeared, looking very scared and confused.

“Who are you?” he asked, voice raising about an octave in fear. He was holding a heavy book and appeared to be considering whether or not to chuck it at Rich. Rich ran a hand over his gelled-back, red-streaked hair and grunted seriously. 

“That’s not important,” Rich said. “I need you to listen to me now. If a creature offers you a miracle in exchange for something, you can’t listen to him.”

“What?” Jeremy asked, clearly taken aback. “What does that mean? H-hey! Is this a joke?” Rich narrowed his eyes and leaned in through the window.

“It’s not a joke. Did you hear me? Don’t listen to anyone that offers you a wish. Understand?” Jeremy’s eyes darted around. 

“I… okay?” Rich nodded and turned away from the window to head back to his apartment. He’d have to make absolute sure that Squip never made contact with Jeremy. 

 

* * *

 

**Timeline ???**

 

_ I won’t rely on any of them anymore. I can do this alone.  _ Rich grabbed everything he could from the weapons vault he’d walked into.  _ I have to get stronger.  _ It was always something. Jake would bring him in with his charm. Squip would get to Michael first and Jeremy would follow. Rich would try to fight it alone and it would reach the civilian shelter, wiping out everyone.  _ I don’t need anyone to understand me.  _ He spent every day after school in the weight room, training. He stockpiled weapons and went out every night to fight monsters.  _ I’ll finish every last monster. I can’t let Jeremy fight anymore.  _

Grenades. Machine guns. More explosives. It had to be enough. He had to kill them all. That way, no one else would have to get hurt. That way he could become strong. 

_ And when Walpurgisnacht comes… I’ll kill it myself. _

 

* * *

 

Smashed buildings, cars, streetlights, and other debris hung in the air, smoke rising up towards the cloud layer, making the sky a menacing cauldron, brewing hatred and destruction. The pieces smashed into each other, sending parts flying in every direction with deadly momentum. There was no color to be seen except the orange glow flickering over the grayscale ruins of the city. A large, burning form hung above it all, its laugh a distorted, thunderous sound. It was Armageddon. And in the midst of it, Rich was fighting for his life. 

Rich held up his shield against the oncoming flames, grimacing as the heat flared up pain in his scars from last time. He stopped time and jumped closer, knowing he couldn’t back down. The monster was approaching the shelter with no signs of slowing down. He pulled out a bomb and prepared to throw it, but in an instant, Walpurgisnacht threw a building at him, and he barely stopped time before getting completely crushed. He landed hard on the ground, vision going hazy. He couldn’t keep time suspended for too long… he needed enough energy to reset the timeline if things went downhill. He just had to hold on a little longer… 

Then he looked up. Perched on a building close to the shelter was Jeremy himself, talking to…  _ No. _

“Jeremy!” Rich cried out. “Don’t listen to it!” Walpurgisnacht sent a deadly blast of energy that broke the ground itself and sent Rich flying. In the back of his mind, he could hear Squip’s words. 

_...you have the power to change destiny. All this tragedy, all this destruction. You can change it, if you want. The power to do so lies within you. _

“Stop!” Rich cried as he was beaten by the monster’s shadowy minions. “It’s tricking you! Don’t do it!” He stopped time briefly and pulled out his machine gun, heaving it up with broken arms to take out all the minions around him. When he released time again, he was so exhausted, he nearly collapsed on the spot. 

_ Make a contract with me and become a magical boy! _

Rich lifted his head. He had to get over there. He couldn’t let Jeremy… 

There was a bright blue glow from over on the building and Rich’s eyes widened. He was too late. “No…” he whimpered. “NO!” He shouted so loud he felt like the whole word was vibrating. Then the floating piece of ground he was sitting on crumbled and he fell down, choking on his tears the whole way. 

 

* * *

 

“He really was amazing when he transformed, wasn’t he?” Squip said. Rich sat on the rubble covered ground, staring at his battered knuckles and torn clothes, wondering if he should even bother healing. “I knew, of course, that he had incredible magical potential, but to take down the Walpurgisnacht in a single shot…”

“Get out of here,” Rich said coldly. 

“I intend to do just that,” Squip said. “We’ve more then met our energy quota. You see, when a soul gem turns into a grief seed-”

“Spare me the entropy lecture,” Rich said blankly. “I’ve heard it all before.” He kept his gaze fixed on the ground, his hair falling in his face. He had failed. He’d failed Jeremy. He’d failed everyone. 

“I’m not quite sure what made him fall into despair,” Squip admitted. “But he said something about seeing other timelines… to think his power allowed him to do that much! But the why is no matter. Because now, Jeremy Heere has become the most powerful monster this planet will ever see, as well as the last one this planet will ever see. I’m guessing it will only take him about 10 days to destroy all life here. But we Squips would like to thank your kind for the service you’ve provided us.”

Rich shakily got to his feet, pulling out the grief seed he’d retrieved from the battle field and used it to clean his sullied soul gem. Then with a calming breath, he healed all his bodily injuries. He just stared at the sky for a while. In the distance, there was a form of a faraway monster he couldn’t quite make out. Then he turned away from it and began to reach for his shield.

“You’re not going to fight him?” Squip asked, almost emulating surprise. 

“No.”

“Rich Goranski…” Squip said. “You’re-”

_ If it’s… if it’s for him… I don’t care how long I have to stay trapped in this endless loop.  _

He turned his shield all the way to the left, and then released it, letting the darkness take him back to that same hospital room. 


	11. I Know What I Have to Do

“The body of Middle Borough High School student Michael Mell, aged 17, was discovered this afternoon in an apartment downtown. He was reported missing just two days ago. There were no signs of violence present at the scene of the crime, therefore, both murder and accidental death are being considered by the police. Up next, the weather forecast. Tonight, expect moderate rain that will carry over into tomorrow morning…”

Jeremy closed his laptop and wrapped his comforter tighter around his body, coughing a bit as he did so. His throat was sore and dry from screaming and crying all night long. He wanted to cry a bit longer, because once he stopped, he didn’t know what he was supposed to do. He swallowed and buried his face into his sheets. In one short month, everything had come crashing down around him. And all he’d done about it was sit and watch as everything fell apart. 

“Jeremy?” He lifted his head to see his dad poking his head through the door, a solemn look on his face. “Can I come in?”

“No,” Jeremy said weakly. Then he broke into another coughing fit. His dad entered anyway, sitting on the end of Jeremy’s bed and looking down at his hands thoughtfully. 

“I’ve been keeping an eye on the news, private. And…” His dad paused to wipe some of his own tears away. “I’m afraid that Michael…”

“He’s dead,” Jeremy said quietly. “Th-they found his… his body…” Jeremy’s body began to tremble again, and his dad reached over to grab his hand.

“Shhh… “ his dad tried to soothe him. “It’ll be okay.”

_ No. It will never ever be okay. _

“Do you want to be left alone?” His dad asked after a minute. Jeremy nodded, a few more tears slipping out. “The police… they might want to talk to you. Are you sure you don’t know anything about… what happened?”

“I don’t,” Jeremy whispered. 

“Well… okay,” his dad said. He stood up after a second, shooting Jeremy one last sympathetic look. “If you want to talk, I’ll be here for you. And if you don’t want to talk to me… your mother offered as well… or I could find you a therapist or…” He hung his head and rubbed his face with his hands. “I… don’t know what to do,” he admitted. “But… I’m here when you need me.” Then he turned and left the room, gently closing the door behind him. 

Jeremy curled in on himself and hugged his knees. His father had a point… there was no way being alone with his thoughts was good for him. But there was no one in the world who could possibly understand. His phone buzzed beside him on his bedside table. He let it ring. Whoever was calling didn’t bother calling back, but they’d left a voicemail. Jeremy grabbed for it desperately, just wanting to hear someone’s voice. 

“Hey, Jeremy,” came Christine’s familiar voice through the speaker. Except it wasn’t familiar. This wasn’t the happy, energetic Christine he knew. “I… I just saw the news and I… I don’t know what to do.” She paused to sniff. “He was my friend too… but I know this is hitting you the hardest. Just… t-take care of yourself. We… can’t lose you too. I… okay. Just… call me. Please...” The sound cut off and there was silence again. Jeremy stared at the ceiling, blinking away the last couple of tears. He considered calling her and telling her everything, even if he would sound crazy. But there was just… too much. There was only one other person he knew who could possibly understand his unbearable flood of emotions… and Jeremy really  _ really  _ didn’t want to talk to him. 

_ But what choice do I have? _

He didn’t have a choice. Wiping his eyes one last time, Jeremy climbed out of his window and began walking down the street. 

He didn’t realize until he was halfway to Rich’s apartment that there was no logical way he could know where Rich lived. He’d never been there before. 

 

* * *

 

Jeremy knocked decisively on the apartment door, knees shaking. He didn’t know what to expect from Rich. He didn’t know if he wanted to apologize to him or demand an apology  _ from _ him. He didn’t know why he thought someone who seemed so dead inside would offer him any kind of solace. Maybe he wouldn’t. Maybe this wasn’t even Rich’s apartment and he’d gone crazy.

The door opened, just a crack. Sure enough, it was him.

“Hey,” Jeremy greeted him softly. “Can we talk?” Rich’s eyes widened. It was strange to see him react so freely… if only for a second. Rich’s guarded expression returned as he slowly opened the door, gesturing for Jeremy to come inside. 

The apartment was so dark and cold… the only sources of light were three lamps all directed at a wall covered in papers and sketches. Jeremy’s eyes darted about as he scanned the pages on pages of writing on the wall, that all framed a giant map of the city with dots and lines all over it. And just to the right was what looked like a pencil sketch of a large monster, bigger than buildings, engulfed in flame. 

“Is that Walpurgisnacht?” Jeremy asked quietly. Rich, who was standing across from him, eyes averted, visibly stiffened. 

“How did you…” he started. Then he turned to Jeremy, looking like he was… searching for something. 

“Chloe told me about it,” Jeremy said. Rich nodded, resigning his gaze to the papers once again. It must have been a sort of battle strategy. Chloe had mentioned that they were working together to take it down… 

“What about it?” Rich asked shortly. 

“Um…” Jeremy said, shrinking into his sweater a bit. “Chloe… she said that it was too powerful for anyone to beat alone. So, you guys were teaming up… but now… Chloe is…”

“I can beat it,” Rich said matter-of-factly. He narrowed his eyes at Jeremy. “Don’t concern yourself with it. That monster is my responsibility.”

“Will the city be in danger?” Jeremy asked, heart beginning to thump right out of his chest. “Those maps…”

“Walpurgisnacht isn’t a normal monster,” Rich explained. “It’s a mega-monster made up of the remnants of others. So, it doesn’t need a labyrinth in order to manifest. Since people who haven’t interacted with Squip can’t see monsters, they’ll likely attribute the wreckage to a storm of some sort. If it’s allowed to roam, it will kill thousands. That’s why I’m preparing.”

Rich turned away again, and Jeremy followed his gaze to a desk covered in chemicals and what looked like detached fuses.  _ He’s… making bombs?  _ He couldn’t hold back a shiver.

“You can really kill it yourself?” Jeremy asked, clutching the material of his cardigan as tightly as he could. “If it’s so dangerous, maybe I should-”

“No!” Rich yelled harshly. Jeremy took a shaky step back, his breathing getting faster. He eyed the pile of weapons in the corner of the room again and suddenly began to feel a primal sense of dread. Rich seemed to notice and let out a long breath, like he was trying to relax himself. “Chloe wasn’t strong enough to beat it alone, but I am.” Rich met Jeremy’s eyes again. His anger had dissipated, but there was still no warmth to his stare whatsoever. “Your job is to stay in the shelter with the other civilians until I’ve killed it.” 

Jeremy focused on the sounds of his breaths. They were overwhelmingly loud in the quiet apartment. There was something almost otherworldly about it. Something disconnected. Rich turned his back to Jeremy, not saying anything more. 

“I really want to believe you,” Jeremy whispered out. “But…”  _ A burning monster. Rich, fighting for his life. Rich beaten to a pulp, bleeding and dying.  _ “I… just can’t believe that you’re really going to be okay.” 

Rich clenched his fists, but didn’t turn around. 

“And so what if I’m not okay?” he bit out. “Why should that matter to you?” His fists got tighter and tighter, until it looked like they were trembling. “You don’t even fucking know me!” Rich shouted. “You said it yourself! I’m not your friend! I’m…” Rich turned on his heels abruptly, and Jeremy noticed instantly that his eyes were full of tears. 

“ _ Why do you do this every time? _ ” he cried. 

Then, before Jeremy could move, Rich ran towards Jeremy and wrapped his arms tightly around him. 

Jeremy blinked, assessing the situation through his shock. Rich was… hugging him. It wasn’t just a normal, friendly hug either. Rich was holding Jeremy like he was the only thing worth clinging to, squeezing his chest desperately and burying his face into Jeremy’s neck as he continued crying.  _ Every time, every time, every time _ … echoed in Jeremy’s head.

The undeniable truth fell into place like the last piece of a puzzle clicking into the landscape.  _ I’ve been here before.  _

“R-Rich…” Jeremy said.

Rich quickly let go of Jeremy, looking ashamed. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and took a step back, closing his eyes to try to stop the tears. 

“I-I’m sorry…” Rich said. Jeremy couldn’t say anything. “I shouldn’t have…” he trailed off. 

“Who are you?” Jeremy asked. “I-I… I feel like I know you… but…”

“I’m from the future,” Rich said, so quietly that Jeremy was sure he had imagined it for a second. The tense silence was broken by the loud chime of a grandfather clock, striking the hour. 10:00 PM. 

“What?”

“I’m from the future,” Rich repeated, slightly louder, but no less resigned. “A future… where you died.” The word echoed throughout the apartment, and Jeremy’s head was once again filled with images of Chloe, Jake, and most strongly of all, Michael. “I’ve been turning back time over and over…” Rich’s shoulders began to shake as he quietly sobbed. “... reliving this month, just trying to find a way to… to save you…there has to be a way. There  _ has  _ to...” Rich lifted his head and looked at Jeremy, face radiating a dangerous vulnerability. 

Jeremy opened his mouth to try to speak, but no words came.

“Sorry,” Rich apologized again, wiping his tears with his hands. “I’m not making sense, am I? I sound like a total creep.” He started chuckling humorlessly as another wave of tears came and he gave up his fruitless attempts to stop them. “After all, to you, I’m just some transfer student that you’ve barely known for a month.” Rich’s whole body began to tremble as he continued to cry. “B-but… to me… you’re…” Rich wrapped his arms lightly around himself, and Jeremy could see a longing in his eyes. A longing for comfort, for contact.  _ A longing for…  _

“Were we… close? In any of those other timelines?” Jeremy asked carefully. Rich let his arms fall to his sides. He stood up straighter, his eyes drifting to the side, almost like he could see into a happier world or a far off memory.

“We were in love,” Rich breathed. For a moment, something like a smile almost teased at his lips. His gelled back hair was beginning to fall in his face. Jeremy didn’t know what to say to that. Rich was… attractive, certainly, but Jeremy just couldn’t understand.

“In love?” Jeremy asked, voice quivering. “But… but I don’t know you. That’s… not… not possible.”

“You knew me very well,” Rich said softly, tracing the skin of his own hand gently with his thumb. “And I know you. You… you like boba tea. And you like the smell of fabric softener so you offer to help your dad with laundry. I know you think the game Sticker Star was pretty much the worst thing ever. I know that you’re… a great listener. I know that you like to be kissed on the left side of your neck. And…” Rich heaved a heavy breath. “And I know that Michael was the most important person in the world to you. And I’m so  _ so  _ sorry I couldn’t save him.” Rich’s look of nostalgia fell for a moment, his eyes flooding with regret. Then he sighed, and there was something so real, so raw in his expression. “I know… that I love you so much, it feels like I’m suffocating. It might be the only thing keeping me going…”

“I… uh… I don’t…” Jeremy stuttered. Rich was snapped out of his trance. He turned to Jeremy, a sad smile finally spreading across his face.

“It’s okay,” Rich said. “I… I know you don’t. You haven’t for a while…” Rich wiped his tears again, and this time, it seemed that they wouldn’t continue. “But that’s okay. Saving you is all that matters to me.” Rich walked forward towards Jeremy and gently grabbed both of his hands, intertwining their fingers. “So, please,” Rich said desperately. “ _ Please. _ Just stay in the shelter and let me handle this. I can’t watch you die again, Jeremy. I can’t.” Rich squeezed Jeremy’s hands tighter and looked deeply into his eyes. “Promise me you’ll stay where it’s safe.”

“O-okay…” Jeremy said, tearing his gaze away. “I… I promise.” Rich nodded and sniffed away the last of his tears.

“Good,” Rich sighed, withdrawing his hands. “That’s good.” 

“But what do I do if Squip comes back?” Jeremy asked quietly. “He… he really wants my… my soul. He said I have all this magical potential or whatever and-”

“It can’t hurt you,” Rich said. “Not if you don’t let it.” Jeremy nodded, biting his lip.

“And what if… what if you can’t beat it?” Jeremy asked. Rich’s mask of indifference returned in an instant.

“Then I’ll reset the timeline,” Rich said simply. “But make no mistake: I will beat it.” Jeremy’s eyes drifted to the papers, the plans, the weapons.  _ Maybe he will beat it. _ “You should go…” Rich said, looking away. “They’re going to issue the storm warning at one.”

 

* * *

 

Jeremy found himself in the same position in his bed before long. He supposed he could try to sleep, but it seemed useless, his eyes drawn to his digital clock nearly every minute as the hour ticked closer to one o’ clock. And it shouldn’t have been surprising, but Squip was back in his room, staring him down from his desk. 

“What do you want?” Jeremy finally spat at it. 

“You know what I want,” it said simply. 

“You killed my best friend,” Jeremy growled. “You killed Chloe and Jake too… and you made so many others suffer.” Squip blinked at him, unaffected. “Don’t you have anything to say for yourself?” Jeremy demanded.

“Do you feel responsible for the deaths of cattle, Jeremy Heere?” Jeremy scoffed and turned away. 

“That’s different.”

“I should say so,” Squip said. “Our treatment of your kind is far kinder than the way you treat your livestock. You provide the cows you kill with compensation by merely allowing them to live safer lives than they would in the wild, but we are far more generous. Not only do we harvest a far more negligible percentage of your population, we also compensate your race by providing you with technology and ideas it would take you millions of years to develop on your own. It’s only fair to give humans something in return, as long as we keep harvesting. We’ve been around since the very start of your kind, making thousands of contracts.”

“Thousands?” Jeremy repeated horrified. “They all trusted you…and.. you...”

“You really should be thanking us,” Squip said. “Or did you not hear me? Without our interference, your species would never had advanced like it has. You’d all still be living naked in caves had we not interfered.”

_ No. I’ll never ever thank them. Not after what they did to Michael and… _

_ … and the others. _

“I’m never going to make a contract with you,” Jeremy said. “Why won’t you just leave me alone?”

“It’s likely you’ll die either way, though,” Squip said. “Walpurgisnacht is coming in a matter of hours, and if it’s not stopped, it will destroy everyone in this city.”

“Rich said he can beat it alone.”

“Do you really believe that?” Squip asked. Jeremy swallowed and stared at the wall. “I’ve been keeping an eye on you for quite some time, Jeremy Heere. Do you recall telling your friends of a dream about Rich Goranski fighting a large monster?”  _ The sketch on Rich’s wall… the monster from the dream was Walpurgisnacht.  _

“I… well-”

“Was he winning?” Jeremy shivered and closed his eyes, wishing that Squip would just go away and never return. 

“He will this time.”  _ He has to. _

 

* * *

 

Jeremy checked his phone, his back turned to his mother and father as they sat huddled together on the floor of the empty community center, which was being used as a storm shelter.  _ 1:48.  _ He stuffed it back in his pocket and squinted out the windows, trying to see. Rich hadn’t said when the monster would be coming. Jeremy didn’t have his number. There was no way for him to know if Rich was okay, so he just had to wait here, suffocating on the knowledge that all this was wrong.

Jeremy was losing his mind. He had to get a better look. He quietly tapped his mother on the shoulder and excused himself to the bathroom, promising to be right back. He shakily got to his feet and weaved through the hundreds of people sitting huddled on the floor, over to the larger windows where he could get a better look. 

The sky was beginning to grow eerily dark, the clouds swirling around like mini tornados. There was no monster… yet… but even from inside Jeremy could feel the air cackling with electricity, as if the feeling of dread had mass and was dissipated throughout the atmosphere. 

“Mr. Jeremy?” a familiar voice asked from behind him. Jeremy turned around and saw Christine’s four-year-old brother, Joey, sitting alone, two toy dinosaurs in his hands. 

“Hey there, buddy,” Jeremy said, doing his best to smile kindly at him. He crouched down to meet Joey’s eye level. “Are you by yourself? Where’s your family at?” 

“Chrissy’s in the bathroom,” Joey said, walking his triceratops along the carpeted floor. “I’m waiting for her, but she’s taking  _ forever _ .”

“I’ll wait with you,” Jeremy said. 

“Chrissy’s been feeling sick for a couple days,” Joey said, a bit quieter. “She’s been crying but she doesn’t ever want me to cheer her up.”

“Really?” Jeremy asked. Joey nodded. He turned his attention back to his stegosaurus and triceratops toys. 

“She went in there to cry just now. But I can’t go in there to help because it’s full of  _ girls _ .”

“Christine just wants to be alone, I think,” Jeremy said.

“But why?” Joey cocked his head, his black hair shifting a bit with the movement. “I just wanna help.” Jeremy swallowed and bit his lip, desperate for a change in topic.

“Those are some cool dinosaurs,” he prompted. 

“Thanks!” Joey said, cheering up in an instant. “My favorite is this one.” He pointed at the triceratops. “But don’t tell the other one,” he whispered. “Do you know what my favorite is? Do you?”

“Hmm…” Jeremy said, smiling a little bit. “Is it a triceratops?”

“Yeah! I hold the tray-sah-ra-tops when I’m scared,” Joey explained. He made his figures jump up and down on the carpet, making little “roar” noises. Then he looked up at Jeremy, face falling.

“You look kind of scared, Mr. Jeremy.”

Jeremy blinked, taken aback.  _ It seems like Joey has some of that famous Canigula empathy and bullshit detector. _

“Yeah,” Jeremy admitted, stealing a glance outside once again. “I am, a bit.” Joey nodded solemnly. Then, after a moment of thinking, he picked up his triceratops toy and thrust it towards Jeremy. 

“Here!”

“Oh no, Joey,” Jeremy sighed with a bit of a humorless laugh. “I can’t take this.”

“But I wanna help!” Joey protested quietly. “You can just give it back to me later.” Jeremy was about to refuse more adamantly, but he knew it was no use. Joey wasn’t going to give up until he accepted it. He carefully reached out and accepted the small toy, dropping it carefully into his jean pocket as Joey beamed. 

“Yeah…” Jeremy said. “I’ll give it back later.”

Suddenly, the world outside seemed to shake. Jeremy whirled around and peered out the window, blood running cold when he saw the humongous, fiery form of a monster that seemed all too familiar.  _ Walpurgisnacht.  _ What had he been thinking? There was no way he could watch something like that. Not again.

“Hey… say hi to your sister for me, will you?” Jeremy said, patting Joey on the back. “Tell her that… tell her I’m okay.” 

“Okay,” Joey said simply, with a shrug. Then he turned his attention right back to his stegosaurus toy. Jeremy stood to his full height and turned to go find his parents in the crowd. He needed time to think. 

 

* * *

 

It was time. Rich took step after step, staring at the empty skyline, waiting for it to appear. He was ready. He had to be. He’d spent the whole month preparing, setting up weapons painstakingly, all for this one fight. And every second of every timeline would be worth it if he could just kill it so Jeremy would be safe. 

A brief glow of a flame caught Rich’s attention. Across the cloud layer, otherworldly colors began to dance about, clearing the stage for the entrance of the monster itself. And sure enough, it appeared seconds later, a colossal clusterfuck of gears and human parts, horrifically tied together with growing flames. 

Rich reached for the energy inside his soul gem and transformed, narrowing his eyes at the monster.  _ This time,  _ he thought to himself as he froze the timeline and pulled dozens upon dozens of bazookas out from behind his shield.  _ I’ll finish it for good.  _ With the world frozen around him, he aimed each one at the monster and fired, every rocket suspending in midair, headed towards the menacing target. When he’d fired them all, he released time, almost reveling in the monster’s cries of pain as they all hit at once. 

The blowback drove Walpurgisnacht further away from the shelter, towards an undeveloped block. Rich just had to get it all the way back there.

He leapt towards it, weaving in between its minions, which appeared to be silhouettes of past magical boys and girls. He couldn’t let them slow him down. They were beginning to circle around him. Rich cursed, knowing he’d have to deal with them. He reached for his machine gun and halted just for a second to turn around and shoot at the minions, forcing them to retreat or dissolve with an unearthly screech. Rich stepped back and cringed as the weapon fired rapidly, warding off the attackers.  _ Come on… come on…  _

“Gah!” Rich cried out. There was a ripping pain in his chest as something cut into him from behind. He looked down and saw the front of a shadowy katana poking out of his chest. Wincing in pain, Rich turned around and faced his attacker, one of the minions that was about a head taller than him and had a cape that flapped in the raging wind behind them.  _ The pain isn’t real. This isn’t your body.  _ Rich pushed the pain to the back of his mind and stood up straight, knocking the minion upside its head with the end of his gun. After it collapsed to the ground, Rich shot it point blank, wheezing heavily as it disappeared into thin air. 

Rich focused his magic on the wound, averting his eyes as his flesh knit itself back together. Walpurgisnacht was approaching again.  _ Damnit!  _ He leapt forward, running across floating pieces of rubble towards the monster. He had to push it back. Not even bothering to freeze the timeline, Rich took out a bomb and chucked it at the monster. It exploded, sending Walpurgisnacht back a few feet. Rich knew he had to keep up the pace. He threw bomb after bomb, advancing as the monster was pushed back, howling in pain with each blow.  _ Almost… almost there… _

He reached for one more bomb, but came up empty.  _ No. NO.  _ Shaking with a flood of emotions, Rich let out a pained yell and pulled out any weapons he could grab. Grenades. TNT. A lead pipe from what seemed like a million years ago. 

Rich finally released his breath. He was cleaned out of weapons, but Walpurgisnacht was finally,  _ finally  _ in range for the final blow. Rich removed the small remote from his pocket and froze time, using the remnants of his energy to get as far away from the incoming blast as he could. When he was well out of range, Rich released time, pushed the red button on the remote, and waited. Countless hours of locating and stacking thousands of bricks of C-4 in the abandoned construction site were all worth it just to see that beautiful blaze, rising up above the city, with the striking melody of Walpurgisnacht’s screams above it all.

As the explosions continued, piling higher and higher, Rich panted and assessed his bodily damage. He… he had really done it. This whole long nightmare was about to be over forever. 

Then, from the ashes, Walpurgisnacht emerged, barely scratched.

 

* * *

 

The whole shelter shook with a loud tremor. Jeremy watched his parents exchange nervous glances while he rested his chin on his knees and squeezed his eyes shut. Unless that noise was the finishing blow… it really wasn’t sounding good. But awful as it was… Jeremy had expected this. His hands begin to shake, every inch of his brain telling him not to stand up and go through with his plan.  _ This year’s about working on your confidence.  _ He took a deep breath and opened his eyes. He wasn’t going to let anyone fight his battles anymore.  _ I know what I have to do. _

He stood up abruptly and began to walk over towards the bathrooms, so he could sneak around out the front door of the shelter.  _ Rich isn’t going to give up. He can’t, if he wished for what I think he did. If he loses hope, he’ll become a monster too and he knows that. He’ll be trapped forever unless I… _

A hand grabbed Jeremy from behind and he yelped in surprise. When he turned around, fists raised, he saw his father. 

“Jeremy, where do you think you’re going?” his dad said seriously. 

“I’m going to the bathroom.”

“You used that one already,” his dad said. Jeremy paled, feeling like a kid caught with the cookie jar. 

“I… I have to go save my friend,” Jeremy said.

“Which friend?” his dad prompted. 

“You don’t know him,” Jeremy said tightly. “But this is important and I know what I’m doing-”

“No, you don’t!” his father said harshly. “Christ, Jeremy. You’re a  _ kid.  _ My kid. Do you know how dangerous it is out there?” Jeremy shivered but couldn’t respond. “How could you possibly think I’d be okay with this? Do you think I haven’t noticed, Jeremy? You going out late? Avoiding questions about Michael?” His dad held his face in his hands. It sounded like he was on the verge of sobs. 

“Dad-”

“I can’t lose you, Jeremy,” his dad said, guiding Jeremy’s face so they were seeing eye-to-eye. “I can’t. Ever since I heard about the first kid from Middle Borough who went missing I… I’ve been terrified, Jeremy. I love you, you know that? You… You… are the best thing in my life. No contest.” Jeremy leaned forward and captured his dad in a tight hug, not allowing himself to cry. He felt like he had no tears left. 

“I love you too dad,” Jeremy said, his throat closing up. After a minute, he released his hold on his father. “But I have to do this. I know you won’t understand, but…I have to go. I promise, I’ll be careful.”

“It’s not safe, Jeremy!” his dad said, desperation overtaking his whole tone.

“And here is?” Jeremy shot back. “That storm’s not letting up dad. I’m not an idiot. I just… I can’t let him be alone if we’re all gonna…” He trailed off, not wanting to voice what they both knew was true.

“Then... let me go with you,” his dad said weakly. Jeremy shook his head and began to walk away. His dad looked like he might follow for a second, but he didn’t, resigning himself instead to staring out the window.

“Goodbye, dad,” Jeremy whispered to himself.

 

* * *

 

Rich didn’t have time to react as Walpurgisnacht sped towards him, enraged. It sent out a wave of energy that made their corner of the city implode. Buildings all around were ripped from their foundations like daisies. By the time Rich saw one heading towards him, it was too late for him to reach for his shield and avoid the blow. The concrete wall of the building slammed into Rich, knocking him back at an impossible speed several hundred feet until he was only a couple blocks away from the shelter. Rich felt every limb crush and crack under the weight, a particularly sharp rock hitting him in the head, causing blood to trickle down his face. Rich opened his eyes, vision hazy. Walpurgisnacht was still advancing. Not towards him, but towards the shelter, filled with hundreds of civilians. 

“N…no...” Rich choked out, trying to sit up. He looked down and saw a large piece of concrete on top of his right leg, keeping him pinned down. He desperately tugged at it, trying to yank it free. Walpurgisnacht was moving slowly… maybe he could still… 

Rich broke into tears. All the pain, all the heartbreak, and all the loneliness came flooding in at once. He had failed yet again. Just like he always did. Rich bit back the wave of despair by rationalizing it.  _ I’ll learn from this. No timeline is wasted as long as I keep learning. As long as I keep getting stronger.  _ Rich reached a trembling, bloody hand to his shield, prepared to turn it and let the darkness of time take him over.

“Are you sure you really want to reset the timeline again, Rich Goranski?” His head jerked up, and he squinted at Squip, who had jumped down from the rubble and was now perched on the very piece of concrete that was holding him down.

“Sh...shut up…”

“I have no problem with it, of course,” Squip said dismissively. “After all, I really should thank you for all you’ve done for us Squips.”

“Who’d…” Rich wheezed out as he tried yet again to wriggle free. “Who’d e-ever help you…” 

“It was unintentional, of course,” Squip said. “But you’ve helped our mission immensely. For so long, I was puzzling over one seemingly unanswerable question: why is Jeremy Heere’s magical potential so impossibly high? But now that I’ve learned about all your meddling… it makes sense. All those timelines you created for the sole purpose of saving Jeremy Heere attached so-called “strings of fate” to him. He’s the one constant in the converging of dozens of timelines.”

Rich felt sick, like a disease was building inside of him. 

“Y-you… you m-mean…”

“Yes,” Squip said with a sick grin. “Everything you’ve done for Jeremy has only contributed to making his fate worse. You’ve created the most powerful monster in the world, Rich Goranski. And you can turn back time all you like, because next time, I’ll only be more persistent. Because his power will only keep building.”

“N-no…” Rich whimpered out. “I…”  _ Everything I’ve done is meaningless. Everything I’ve done has hurt him.  _ Rich sobbed harder, crying out into the sky, knowing no one was around to hear him and that no one was coming to comfort him. 

He suddenly felt very, very tired. His blurry gaze fell on his soul gem, and he was unsurprised to see it rapidly going dark, starting at the bottom of the diamond and creeping up threateningly. Rich sobbed harder, knowing that nothing was going to stop this. He had lost. And now… he was going to… 

“That’s enough, Rich.” He felt warm hands clasping his, tracing his soul gem carefully. He dared to open his eyes. Jeremy was sitting across from him, looking at him kindly, worry emanating off of him. “You’ve done enough.” 

“J-Jeremy…” Rich stuttered out. “You… you can’t be here…”

“No,” Jeremy said. He stood up and turned to Squip, a fire in his eyes that was familiar and nostalgic. “This is right where I need to be.”

“You can’t!” Rich yelled through his sobs, trying and failing to sit up. Jeremy glanced over his shoulder and gave him a small smile.

“Rich… I’m sorry.”


	12. I'm Not Afraid Anymore

“I’m going to make the contract,” Jeremy said to Squip, feet firmly planted on the rubble-covered ground.

“P-please…” Rich winced out behind him. “Please d-don’t do this.” Jeremy turned around, taking in the horrible sight of someone who once seemed so strong, looking utterly defenseless. He sighed and got down on his knees again. He eyed Rich’s soul gem and drew in a quick, shocked breath. It was almost entirely dark.

“I have to do this,” Jeremy said quietly to him. “I… I have a wish that’s worth sacrificing everything for.”

“Don’t!” Rich cried out, his bruised chest heaving out another round of sobs. “Because then…” Rich closed his eyes as more tears trickled down his face. “Wh-what have I been f-fighting for? You can’t j-just throw your life away…”

“This is worth it,” Jeremy insisted, grabbing Rich’s hand gently again. “Besides… I’ve already lost so much.” Rich gave a pained yell, cringing as his body twitched in pain. He didn’t have much longer.

“Hey, hey,” Jeremy said. Without thinking, he carefully swept Rich’s stray hairs out of his face and cradled his cheek. “It’s gonna be okay.” Their eyes met, and Jeremy felt that same, faint tug of familiarity flicker in his chest. There was a spark of burning affection, from sometime long, long ago, but the strength had persisted. Jeremy snapped out of it after a second, pulling back his hand instinctively.

_I really did love him. I loved him so much…_

“I’m sorry, Rich,” Jeremy whispered. Then he leaned forward and kissed Rich delicately on his cheek. He pulled away slowly without another word and stood up. Rich just looked on in disbelief.

“Jeremy Heere,” Squip said. “Since you are now the center of karmic destiny, from multiple converging timelines, the power of your wish is certainly limitless.” Jeremy swallowed, his dry throat protesting the motion as he stared at Squip against the blazing sky. “What is the wish that you will trade your soul for?” Squip asked.

Jeremy allowed himself one last moment of quiet. He took a breath in… then released it.

“I wish to erase all monsters,” Jeremy said. “Past, present, and future. Across all these timelines and worlds…” He focused on everything he loved. Jenna, Brooke and Christine. His mother, despite her flaws. His father. Everything he’d shared with Michael. _Rich._ “... with my own hands,” he finished.

Before Squip could even move, a bright blue light emerged from Jeremy’s chest, glowing like a newly-born star as if it were practically leaping to be freed.

“Jeremy Heere…” Squip breathed. “That wish… that wish is going to unravel the fabric of the universe! And to carry it out on your own… do you really intend to become a god?”

“You can call it whatever you want,” Jeremy said. “But this world as it is… is too cruel and unfair, thanks to you, Squip. Someone has to fix that, so it might as well be me.” The light grew brighter and brighter, until Jeremy found he had to close his eyes to block out its glare. “If that unravels the universe… then I’ll just rewrite it. But I’ll give up my humanity in a heartbeat if it means that your thousands of victims don’t have to fall into despair forever.”

“This can’t be!” Squip said. “I can’t allow you to-”

“Grant. My Wish,” Jeremy said coldly, eyes snapping open one last time as the light of his soul grew and grew, enveloping everything in sight. “You bastard.”

Jeremy felt the distantly familiar fit of his magical boy outfit on his skin. Almost entirely on autopilot, he drew the bow he was holding in his hand and fired, an enormous blast of magical energy hurtling towards the sky. When it hit Walpurgisnacht, it evaporated instantly with a final screech, the sky turning a clear, brilliant blue once again.

After a second, he realized he could see everything. The span of history. The stretch of the universe. A mountain of timelines piling on top of each other and converging. It was overwhelming, and for a second, Jeremy thought he might be overwhelmed by his own despair before he could take on anyone else’s.

But all it took was once glance back at Rich. Jeremy smiled. He could do this. Then everything went white.

 

* * *

 

“What kind of fucked up wish was that?”

Jeremy shrugged as Jake just looked on in disbelief. “I told you to _think_ about it.”

“I did!’ Jeremy said. “I thought about it a lot!”

“But you do realize what it means for you, right?” Jake said, frowning. “I mean, you have to collect every magical boy and girl’s despair now. Which means you’ll be on like… a different plane of existence.” Jake sat back a bit, looking like thinking about it was blowing his mind. “You’re just going to be like this forever,” he said. “If it were me… I’d think getting my head bit off was a much better option.”

“Very funny,” Chloe cut in as she entered. “And lay off him. I think it’s… really cool. What you did.”

“Really cool,” Jeremy repeated, smirking. “Thanks.”

“You know what I mean!” Choe shot back. “I… never really got the chance to do selfless things. As soon as I got my head outta my ass, well…” She sighed and stretched. “What I mean to say is… thank you. Thank you for giving us all hope again.”

“Yeah, dude,” Jake chimed in. Jeremy beamed, glad he was able to see them both one last time.

“Say hi to Michael for me,” Chloe said. “Whenever you reach him.” Jeremy nodded and stood up.

“Speaking of that,” Jeremy said. “I’d better get to work.”

 

* * *

 

He was everywhere at once. He came to them one by one, absorbing the darkness in their soul gems, taking their sorrow away. They all still had to die, there was nothing Jeremy could do about that, but it was only natural. _At least,_ he thought to himself, _their sacrifices don’t give way to more despair any longer. They can die peacefully now._ All the sorrow, all the hurt… it weighed heavy on Jeremy’s soul.

But he didn’t lose hope.

 

 

* * *

 

When Rich came to, the world was entirely empty. There was no ground underneath him, no sky, no other living thing as far as the eye could see. All he could see was an endless white void, stretching into infinity.

_Am I dead?_

He looked down at his hand and saw that his soul gem was sullied, but still intact. He was still beaten and bleeding as well, though he couldn’t feel the throbbing pain he had before. Everything was just empty… and eerily quiet.

“Fancy seeing you here.”

Rich turned around and saw Jeremy standing there, attempting a smoulder. It was just… his Jeremy. In his normal clothes, with his normal voice, and none of sadness in his eyes that had only grown over the course of the month.

“Jeremy…” Rich breathed out. Jeremy just grinned and walked over towards Rich.

“I know… that wasn’t smooth at all, was it?” He laughed a bit and stuffed his hands in his sweater pockets. “I don’t really know _how_ you’re here, but…” He reached for Rich’s hand. With Jeremy’s touch, Rich felt his wounds and cuts, and even his burn scars heal with a warm glow. “I’m really glad you are.”

“Wh-what’s going on?” Rich asked, eyes darting around the empty void.

“I’m… uh… rewriting the world, actually,” Jeremy said sheepishly. “It’s taking me a bit to get right. It’s my first time, after all. But I think I can wait just a minute. I need to see you before… before you forget me.”

“Forget you?” Rich repeated. “Fuck that! I won’t forget you, Jeremy! Never! How could you ever think I would-”

“Everyone’s going to forget me, Rich,” Jeremy said, turning his gaze away. “When I made my wish… in order to save everyone… I had to move to a higher plane of existence. So… I don’t exist as a person anymore.”

“That’s…” Rich shivered, entirely paralyzed by what Jeremy had said. “No... no… that can’t be true. I…”

“Rich…” Jeremy said. “Hey, come on... “ Rich couldn’t listen to him. This was too horrible… too unthinkable. “Hey, short-ass, listen to me!”

Rich looked up through his tearful eyes. Jeremy had only called him that once… and that was…

“You know, now that I’m… this way…” Jeremy said, softly grabbing Rich’s hands again. “I can see everything. I… remember now. Everything you’ve done for me in all those different timelines. It was… really overwhelming at first…” Jeremy let out a small laugh. “I’m sorry I kept you waiting so long,” he said. Then he leaned down and kissed Rich, the familiar warmth of his lips reigniting the fire inside of him. Rich reciprocated, bringing a hand up to feel the soft tufts of Jeremy’s hair and trace his freckled skin. And despite all the grief he felt, Rich felt okay for just a minute when he felt Jeremy smiling against his lips.

“I love you, Rich,” Jeremy whispered as they pulled apart. Then his smile dropped, just a bit, and he fixed his gaze into the faraway void. “I’m glad, you know. That I’m able to see it all now. To know what you really mean to me,” Jeremy said. “But-”

Rich squeezed Jeremy’s hands, reminding himself to cherish every second he could where Jeremy was with him, solid and real. Jeremy looked like he might cry, but was holding himself back.

“I thought I wouldn’t have any regrets but…” Jeremy took a deep breath and closed his eyes. “Now… my one regret is that… I have to leave you behind.”

“I don’t want to forget you,” Rich said, wrapping his arms around Jeremy and holding on for dear life. He buried his face into Jeremy’s neck. “You mean so much to me…”

“Maybe you won’t forget…” Jeremy mused. Rich pulled away and wiped his eyes.

“What?”

“I mean, you followed me out here, didn’t you?” Jeremy said. “So maybe… you _will_ be able to remember me.” The world shifted around them, the white void beginning to morph into stars and galaxies around them. Jeremy noticed it too, and when he did, he took a step back from Rich.

“It’s time,” he said. “I have to go.”

“No, Jeremy!” Rich said suddenly. “Don’t… I mean I just… Don’t go…” Jeremy could only smile at him sadly. After a second, he stripped his blue sweater, balled it up and held it out to Rich.

“Take it,” Jeremy said. “So… you can have a piece of me. That’s what boyfriends do right? Borrow each other’s clothes?” Rich felt like he was drowning quickly, but he accepted it, heart growing heavy as he saw Jeremy beginning to fade. “Take care of yourself, Rich,” Jeremy said. “For real this time, okay? I’ll see you again soon.”

And then Jeremy was gone.

 

* * *

 

“Geez, Mike,” Jeremy said, looking around the empty concert venue. Reggae music was softly playing from all sides, and the whole area smelled like weed. “I want to be surprised that this is heaven for you, but I’m just… not.” Michael lifted his head and grinned.

“Aw, Jer-bear. Am I stoned or is that really you coming to visit your lonely BFF while neglecting your godly duties?”

“Can you even get stoned when you’re dead?” Jeremy asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Survey’s still out,” Michael said. “I don’t know if I’m stoned or just… so, _so_ relaxed after being rescued from like… eternal despair.”

“Ah,” Jeremy said, sitting down next to Michael and leaning over to take some of his chips. “And what wonderful no-longer-person did that for you?”

“It was fucking unbelievable. You just _had_ to end up upstaging my wish,” Michael scoffed. “That’s just like you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Jeremy protested.

“I mean,” Michael laughed. “That you’re the best. My absolute faaavorite person. Two enthusiastic thumbs up. 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.”

“I get it.”

Michael sighed happily and leaned against Jeremy affectionately. Jeremy beamed, relieved to see Michael smiling again, even if it was after he’d technically died... _Can’t win them all, I guess._

“Sorry about the whole love confession thing,” Michael said eventually. “You’re just like…so good. A solid 8.5 with a 10 personality.”

“Eight point five?” Jeremy repeated incredulously. “I’m an eleven.” Michael rolled his eyes.

“Geez, you ascend to godhood and then _away_ goes the humility.” Jeremy punched him playfully in the arm. “But… I really am sorry. For making you uncomfortable. It probably would have been better if I wasn’t… you know… losing my marbles. Sorry about that too.” Jeremy nodded and hummed in acknowledgement. “But I’ll get over you. You’re my friend, and that’s what’s important to me. Besides, Jake’s gotta die eventually, right?” Michael winked at him, and Jeremy shoved him away.

“Fucking figures that I still ended up dead,” Michael sighed. “But like… this is pretty sweet, not gonna lie.”

“Sorry…” Jeremy said. “There wasn’t anything I could do.” Michael placed a hand dramatically on his chest.

“Oh, so you can recreate the _entire goddamn world_ but you can’t save your best and most handsome buddy from dying?”

“Michael!”

“Hey, just because you went Super Saiyan doesn’t mean you’re exempt from my teasing,” Michael elbowed him affectionately. “You’re my best friend, dude.” Jeremy sighed contentedly.

“Yeah. You too.”

 

* * *

 

“God damnit!”

Rich’s eyes snapped open. He was standing, transformed, with Chloe on his left and Jake on his right. They were peering out at an empty stretch of land. _What? What’s going on?_

“I told him to let me finish it off!” Chloe yelled in anger, slicing a nearby signpost in half with her spear, letting the top part clatter to the ground. “Fucking _idiot!_ ”

“No, no this is _my_ fault,” Jake said, voice sounding like it was breaking. “I should have been covering him.. I could have _done_ something.”

“We were just getting to be friends, and then he goes and gets himself killed!” Chloe continued. “If he was still here, I’d kick his ass!”

Chloe let out another yell of rage and drove her spear into the ground, causing it to rumble briefly, while Jake just cried silently to himself.

“What happened?” Rich said robotically, finding himself unaware of almost everything happening around him. Chloe and Jake finally turned to acknowledge him, looking at him almost incredulously.

“That’s not funny, dumbshit!” Chloe spat. “Michael’s _dead!_ ” She pointed a finger to the right, a few angry tears slipping out. Rich followed the motion and sure enough, there was Michael’s body. Rich couldn’t find the strength to move any further. This was all… so much.

“What… were we fighting?” Rich asked. Jake looked up at him through his tears, shaking his head.

“Th-that’s not funny...dude…” he said. “We just lost Michael to the wraiths and living in denial won’t bring him back.” _Wraiths?_ Richlooked back at the body and scrutinized it for any wounds, but there were surprisingly very few. And a distinct lack of a…

“Wh-where’s his soul gem?” Rich asked quietly, eyes searching the corpse for any sign of it. _Those wraiths couldn’t be-_

“It disappeared,” Jake said blankly, wiping his eyes. “Like they always do when we use all our magic. You know? The law of the cycle?”

“The law of… “ Suddenly Rich sobered and searched around frantically, finally finding motivation to assess his situation properly.

Rich quickly looked down to check his soul gem, remembering how clouded and dark it had been previously, but the first thing he noticed was that he was holding a dark blue sweater in his hands, all balled up and still a bit warm with body heat.

“Jeremy…” Rich whimpered. That name echoed into the night for a second, alone and fleeting all too soon.

“Uh… my name is _Jake_ ,” Jake said awkwardly. “I’ve known you for like a month, man.”

“What’s wrong with you?” Chloe demanded. “You always act like such a freak, but this is a new low!”

“Hey, lay off him!” Jake interjected. “He’s clearly in shock!” The rage in Chloe’s eyes died down a bit as she kicked at the ground and turned away, letting her anger settle. She sighed and dropped her spear to the ground, wiping her face with her hands. Then she turned to him.

“Why’d you say ‘Jeremy’?” she asked blankly. “Who’s that?”

“He’s…” Rich choked out a sob, leaning forward and clutching the sweater to his chest as tears began to fall. “He’s… _no one_ …” He tried to say more, but there was no use. His crying had overtaken anything until he couldn’t even think anymore. _Why did you leave me behind? What am I supposed to do without you?_

“I didn’t think you and Michael were friends,” Chloe said carefully after a minute. He looked up through blurry eyes and saw that Jake and Chloe were both crying too. Rich’s gaze shifted to Michael once again, and he felt another sting in his heart when he realized that this time, Michael was really gone. There would be no redos. Rich cried harder upon realizing he had to mourn Michael too.

“N-not really,” he said finally. “But we… could have been.”

 

* * *

 

 

The wind lightly ruffled Rich’s hair as he sat in the grass of the park, just watching the people mill about the paths. The sun was warm and inviting on his face, and it wasn’t that bad, being around so many strangers, doing new things. He’d spent so long seeming to know every nook and cranny of the month, but now he was just a passenger again. The stream of time was flowing again, and Rich figured he just ought to ride it for a while.

Across the park, under a tree, Rich saw a man he recognized as Jeremy’s father, who was sitting with a different woman: one with a bright smile and a cheery-looking disposition. There were some teenagers he recognized from the high school splashing in the park fountain. Behind one of the buildings, he could see the school drug dealer lighting up. If he ignored one big, gaping hole in it all, it was almost like a peaceful moment.

“I like your sweater!” a chipper voice said. Rich looked down and saw a young boy smiling up at him. Then the boy pointed at the blue sweater insistently, as if to clarify.

“Oh,” Rich said. “Thanks.”

“It looks like Jeremy’s sweater!” Rich’s eyes widened. He looked down at the boy in shock. It had to be some sort of coincidence.

“Hey, Joey! You can’t run off like that!” a new voice scolded. A girl Rich recognized after a second as Jeremy’s friend Christine ran up to the young boy and grabbed his hand gently. Then she turned to look at him. “Ugh, I’m sorry…”

“No, no. It’s okay,” Rich said. “He was just being friendly.” Christine smiled apologetically and sat down next to him, staring out at the park as her brother collapsed in front of them, pulling out two dinosaur toys and running them through the grass.

“I’ve seen you before,” Christine said after a minute. “You transferred to Middle Borough about a month ago, right?”

“Yeah,” Rich said. “Feels a fuck of a lot longer than that though.”

“I get that…” Christine said. Rich glanced over at her. He didn’t know her that well at all, but he could tell that something was weighing heavily on her.

“I know it’s not really any of my business,” Rich started. “But… are you okay?” Christine went quiet, her gaze fixed on the horizon, lip quivering.

“Well… not to get overly personal but...my friend died recently,” she said. “A dear friend. I’ve known him since middle school and it was so sudden and…” She took a shaky breath, hugging herself a bit. “You might of heard about it. His name was Michael.” Rich nodded. “Everything just seems so empty now. It almost feels like… I lost more than just him.” She let out a sad little laugh. “That’s ridiculous, right?”

“I’m sorry.”

“I’ll be fine,” Christine said quietly. “Eventually. Not soon or anything.” She closed her eyes for a moment. “I just… I can’t break down in front of Joey. I had to get out of my own head and…” she opened her eyes and gave a small laugh. “He has a way of cheering people up.”

“Really?” Rich asked, smiling at her.

“Hey Joey!” Christine called her brother. He stood up instantly and hobbled over to the two of them, his toys grasped in his hands. “Say hi to… “ Christine trailed off. “I’m sorry. I didn’t catch your name.”

“It’s Rich,” he said. “And you are?”

“Christine.”

“And I’m Joey!” Joey exclaimed, collapsing into his sister’s side, tackling her in a hug. “Hey Mr. Rich? Do you wanna see my dinosaurs?” He nodded and Joey gasped in excitement, letting his sister go stand up and position himself in front of Rich.

“This one’s a stey-gah-sore-us,” Joey said, holding it up for Rich to see. Then he set it down and showed Rich his other toy. “And this one is my favorite! It’s a tray-sah-ra-tops. Jeremy gave it to me.” Rich froze yet again. _It’s a common name. Just a common name._

“Who’s Jeremy?” Rich found himself asking, biting his lip as soon as it was out. Christine sighed.

“Just his imaginary friend,” she said. “I think the name might have come from my Jeremy Jordan poster…”

“He said my sweater reminded him of this… ‘Jeremy’,” Rich said. Christine took a second to examine Rich.

“Yeah, he always draws him with a navy cardigan just like that. And brownish hair. But he mostly does stick figures, so that’s about all I can tell you,” she said. Her lips twitched into a smile. “It’s really cute, isn’t it?”

“Say, Joey,” Rich said after a minute. Joey looked up from his dinosaurs and met his gaze with wide eyes. “Your friend, Jeremy… you said he gave you the dinosaur?”

“Tray-sah-ra-tops,” Joey corrected. “Yes. Well… he said he was returning it but I don’t know about that.”

“Did he say anything else?” Rich demanded desperately. He didn’t care what Christine might think of him. Joey nodded, his attention back on his toys.

“Yep.”

“What did he say?” Rich asked.

“He said, ‘I’m not afraid anymore’.”

 

* * *

 

“Theoretically, I suppose that system you described could have worked,” Squip remarked. Rich scoffed and took out a wraith soul, a tiny cube of concentrated darkness that they used to purify their soul gems in this strange new universe. He cleaned his soul gem and then tossed the empty cube at Squip, who abruptly ate it.

“It’s not theoretical,” Rich said simply. “I lived through that shit.”

“Well, there’s no way you can prove it, if it was real,” Squip said. “If the laws of the universe really changed as you say they did, then we can never know that. All we can observe is the status quo.” Rich grunted and threw another empty cube at Squip. “That method seems far more wasteful,” Squip said. “After all, with all these so-called ‘monsters’ popping up all the time, we’d have to make three times as many contracts as we make now. It sounds far more efficient in terms of getting energy, though. You humans and your ridiculous emotions would burn through your wishes far too quickly that way.”

“Yeah,” Rich bit out. “Seems pretty dickish, doesn’t it?”

“But in this world of monsters you described,” Squip said. “There were no wraiths to fight? Do you have an explanation for them, Rich Goranski?”

“Not really,” he said. “I figure the world’s just going to be shitty no matter what anyone does. Can’t change that. If monsters don’t exist anymore, than curses will just manifest in another way. I guess, the wraiths.”

“Perhaps,” Squip said.

Rich sighed and stood up, stretching briefly before jumping off from where he was perched on top of the building. In the shadows of the abandoned alleyway, there were distorted figures that glitched like ghosts, weaving in and out of reality, spreading curses. Taking a deep breath to prepare himself, Rich reached for his newest weapon: a bow. The wraiths began to advance on Rich, but he stood his ground, drawing back the bowstring.

_If it’s for you, I can keep going. I’ll protect this world and the things you loved about it. I’ve lived this long, I might as well make something of myself, right? You wouldn’t want me to lose hope. So I won’t. I’ll keep fighting, no matter what._

Rich released the string and exhaled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> squip: i didnt think wanting to "more than survive" meant transcending human existence but go off i guess
> 
> thanks for reading! please leave a comment if you want :D


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